Older workers in the workplace: a neglected strategic asset
24 July 2025 | Comment(s) |
Dominique Fleury
As Switzerland faces an aging workforce and a shortage of qualified labour, the integration and retention of older workers in companies is becoming a crucial issue. These experienced professionals are often confronted with stereotypes or gradually sidelined. How can we reverse the trend and harness their potential? Let’s take a closer look.
Who are the older workers on the Swiss labour market?
In Switzerland, employees aged 50 and over are generally considered to be "older or aging workers". This definition may seem premature, but it reflects the reality of the labour market, where job retention challenges begin at this age.
Older workers accounted for more than 37% of the working population of Swiss nationality in 2020 while in 2021 almost 18% of those aged 65-74 were still in work. These proportions, driven by longer life expectancy and an increase in the retirement age, are expected to rise.
The activity rate among 55-64 year-olds is almost 75%, one of the highest in Europe. Despite this high participation rate, older employees remain vulnerable to long-term unemployment and discrimination in recruitment. All this is happening against a backdrop of labour shortages in the Swiss labour market.
In Switzerland, employees aged 50 and over are generally considered to be "older or aging workers". This definition may seem premature, but it reflects the reality of the labour market, where job retention challenges begin at this age.
The strengths of older workers are to be valued in the workplace
Compared with the younger generations, employees aged 50+ can also bring considerable added value to a company. These include:
- Business expertise: older employees often have years of experience in their field and benefit from a vast and valuable professional network.
- Stability and loyalty: older employees generally have a lower turnover rate than younger generations and also show stronger commitment to the company. 75% of 50-64 year olds have worked more than 10 years for the same employer.
- Transfer of knowledge: in companies, older employees play a key role in mentoring and internal training, especially with younger generations, to whom they pass on skills and know-how. Some pioneering employers in Switzerland have also set up "reverse mentoring" programmes where younger employees train older employees in digital tools, creating a dynamic of mutual learning.
- Resilience: older employees tend to have a better sense of perspective and a greater ability to manage crises and change.
Persistent barriers to their full integration
Despite their advantages, older employees may face obstacles or suffer from biases regarding their recruitment, integration into the workplace or job retention:
- High rate of absenteeism: employees aged between 55 and 64 have an average annual absence of 9.3 days, according to the Federal Statistical Office (OFS). In 2024, the average number of sick days per full-time employee was 8.5 overall.
- Stereotypes and misconceptions: older employees are often perceived to be less flexible, less at ease with new technologies or more expensive. However, these fears may be exaggerated.
- Less continuing education: only 13% of 55-64 year-olds take part in professional training, compared with 30% of 25-34 year-olds. This shows a certain reluctance to take part in training, continuing education and learning.
- Higher costs: although slightly higher, salary costs and social security contributions for older employees remain under control.
What are the levers for better integration of older employees?
What role can employers play in valuing these employee profiles? How can companies better integrate older employees, while also promoting their recruitment and job retention?
Companies, and SMEs in particular, have everything to gain by putting in place an appropriate and inclusive policy that can include:
- Discrimination-free recruitment, supported by a 50+ HR policy that values skills over age, based on the job’s requirements.
- Access to continuing education, to maintain the employability of 50+ employees.
- Adaptation of the work environment and conditions, including job and working hours adjustments (e.g. part-time), working from home and the possibility of gradual retirement.
- An intergenerational mentoring programme to encourage the transfer of knowledge between generations of employees. In this way, the expertise and skills of older employees are valued while being passed on to younger generations.
Health and pension planning: the role of the employer
In addition to the points mentioned above, companies of all sizes and in all areas of activity can also offer a range of solutions in terms of insurance, pension plans and corporate health management that benefit older employees:
- Loss of earnings insurance, to secure income in the event of illness or accident.
- Flexible pension plans tailored to long or discontinuous careers to help prepare for retirement.
- Corporate health management programmes that target the prevention of age-related occupational risks (stress, workstation ergonomics, etc.). This is a key element in reducing absenteeism and ensuring long-term well-being. Promoting the health of aging employees demonstrates an employer’s commitment to quality of life at work for all employees.
An example of good practice in Switzerland
Around 10-15 years ago, as part of unemployment insurance, the canton of Fribourg set up a scheme to support the recruitment of unemployed people aged 55 and over. This involved covering part of their pension contributions (LPP/BVG) for a limited period. Clearly, the subject of employees aged 50+ in companies is not new!
Conclusion: taking advantage of intergenerational synergies
Integrating older employees into the company, maintaining their employability and supporting them in the transfer of knowledge and professional transition is not just a question of social justice, but also a strategic opportunity for employers. By valuing their skills and know-how and, where possible, adapting their jobs, companies, especially SMEs, can gain real added value.
Fostering intergenerational collaboration, encouraging “working together” and building stronger, more innovative and more human teams not only increases efficiency and productivity, but also plays a part in developing the employer brand, human capital and long-term social sustainability.
Above all, it is essential to maintain open communication with older employees about their expectations and career prospects, and to strengthen their sense of inclusion. With a growing labour shortage, Switzerland could be short of half a million workers by 2030. Employees aged between 50 and 65 therefore represent a rich pool of resources that should not be under-utilized at this level.
