How do you retain your seniors in the workplace? 

Denmark is facing the challenge of a long-term labor shortage. A key factor in keeping this challenge at bay is retaining seniors in the workforce, so that they can continue to benefit from the experience and skills of older employees. But what does it take to keep older people at work? The National Research Center for the Working Environment has investigated this in a survey of 14,000 employees over the age of 50.

Leisure and flexibility is a priority for seniors

Seniors want to continue working, but they also appreciate a good work-life balance. For the seniors surveyed, flexibility and the possibility of reduced hours are key to staying in the workforce longer. The survey shows that half of employees over the age of 50 would stay longer if reduced hours or part-time work were available.

Therefore, companies should consider offering flexible arrangements, including reduced hours, more flexible days off and senior days. By accommodating seniors' requests for more time off and flexibility, companies can retain their crucial experience and knowledge.

Safety, health and well-being - also for seniors

A good physical and mental work environment is also crucial for seniors' motivation and well-being at work. Companies should ensure that seniors' work tasks and workloads are appropriate for their physical and mental abilities. Less physical work could have a positive impact on seniors' desire to continue working. It is therefore important to create a work environment that prioritizes safety, health and well-being for all employees, including seniors.

Concrete measures to retain seniors

One concrete way to invest in employee health and well-being is to offer health checks and ergonomic reviews of workstations. This way, you can get concrete input on what challenges seniors are experiencing. At the same time, it's a way to show that you value your employees and work preventively to take care of them.

Retaining seniors can be crucial to meeting future labor shortages, while at the same time it's essential to retain experience and knowledge. By offering increased flexibility and reduced hours and creating a great work environment, companies can work to retain seniors and take advantage of their valuable resources. The key is to create a work culture that values the needs and opportunities of seniors and motivates them to stay in the workforce longer.