B2 – Upper Intermediate
The question of whether it is acceptable to hire seniors to work is a topic that has continued to bewilder companies. Some argue that seniors bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the workplace, making them valuable assets. Others believe that some cases of hiring seniors could lead to age discrimination.
Learn about the advantages and difficulties of recruiting a senior employee by reading the article.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/seniors-workforce-benefits-challenges-lee-a-mccue/
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “minted” mean? “Even if a senior is starting a job in a new field, he or she has already had years of work experience to help them be more professional and poised than many of the newly minted job prospects coming fresh out of high school or college.” Use it in a sentence.
- What does the phrase “open to the idea” mean? “Employers should be open to the idea of hiring senior citizens for their companies.” Use it in a sentence.
- What does “to hop from one thing to another” mean? “This is because they are not looking to advance their careers and they are less likely to hop from one job to another for higher salaries or better benefits.” Use it in a sentence.
Discussion Questions:
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of hiring senior citizens that the article mentioned?
- What is your opinion on continuing to work during your supposed retirement years?
- For how long are you going to work and why?
- Does age discrimination in hiring practices occur in your country? How can you tell?
- What aspects of becoming a senior employee do you look forward to?
20 replies on “Seniors in the Workforce: Benefits and Challenges”
1,- In my opinion the point of view of the writer of this article is clearly favorable to hire senior citizens. She only shows advantages, such as their experience, the stability in their jobs or the possibility of becoming mentors for the new employees.
The only disadvantage I can see comes not from her but from the fear of employers that senior citizens are not able to handle technology as well as young people. But even in this issue she disagrees because she thinks babyboomers are willing to learn as much as they can before they retire.
2.- The age of retirement is an issue that has been long discussed in our country, Spain. It refers about weighing the necessity of the new generations of accessing the labour market against the potential losses that society can suffer from letting go the expertise of men and women with decades of experience on their background, men and women perfectly capable to keep on offering knowledge and professionalism for many years.
As far as I can see, there is not only one answer to this question, Society and the labour market should be able to embrace both of them in an idealistic world, but I am afraid our politicians are involved in matters that have nothing to do with the actuals problems of
average people.
Finally I cannot fall to mention all these people who are looking forward to retiring after a long life of work and privation. Let us give them all our respect and provide them the quiet and peaceful life they deserve as soon as possible.
3.- The term old age has been changing as life expectancy has not stop growing and growing since the eighteenth century. When I think about old age I picture a decrepit hunched man or woman who need a stick to help them walk. In the old times they were persons in their sixties or even their late fifties, but nowadays you can see people in their seventies with an astonishing healthy look practicing sports. Hence,old age is not exclusively about the year of your birth but also about how you face life those days and how healthy you are lucky to be.
4.- As a civil servant the age of my retirement is settled by law: I am called to retire when I turn sixty seven. I have more than twenty years to keep advancing in my career and even get a little bored.
5.- Age discrimination is a topic massively discussed in my country these days. Even a new term has been created to define this situation: “Edadismo”, from “edad” which means age in Spanish. Edadismo is precisely the discrimination that occurs when a man or a woman is not hired because of their age. The authorities are trying to prevent this practice. Unfortunately I believe it has become a lost war against the great companies even since the power of Government influencing the politics of those companies is too narrow.
6.- At my 45 years old perhaps I should consider myself a senior employee now . All I can say is that the supposed wisdom and patience you reach when you leave your youth behind is only a fairy tale. The more you work and learn the more you know you will have to keep on learning and working harder and harder until your retirement. So If I may give some piece of advice, that would be to choose a job that fill you up and makes you feel satisfied
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Note how you can revise this sentence with a slightly better expression:
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Vocabulary questions:
1. “minted”: it means created or recently produced. “The minted court has been used yet by the players.
2. “open to the idea”: it means to consider something. “You should be open to the idea of applying for a new job”.
3. “to hop from one thing to another”: to change o switch from one thing to another, for example jobs. “My friend is hoppinf from one job to another in order to get more money”.
Discussion questions:
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of hiring senior citizens that the article mentioned?
As advantages the article mentions that senior employees can bring to the table more experience and they tend to be more professional than the young ones. Also it mentions that they are more likely to stay in the company and be loyal employees, because they prefeer stability rather than money or career growth.
2. What is your opinion on continuing to work during your supposed retirement years?
I don’t think that is a good idea, because we all deserve to rest in our latests years. I understand that for some people working is important but I believe that there are plenty of ways to occupy your last years.
1. What comes to mind when you hear the term ‘old age’?
Nothing spceial, just another life chapter. All of us are going to be old someday, so why denny it? The best thing that we can do is to have a healthy live to reach old age in the best possible conditions.
4. For how long are you going to work and why?
I think that I will until I am 65 o 67 years old, because that’s the retirement age in my country. Currently it is 65 but due to the current situation, the goverment is considering to change it to 67 years ols.
5. Does age discrimination in hiring practices occur in your country? How can you tell?
I am not aware of any case near to me, but I think that it a common issue that senior citizens are suffering. I believe that because when I see the news or what people thinks about this topic, I can tell that these hiring practices are still happening.
6. What aspects of becoming a senior employee do you look forward to?
I think that the most importat is to become a leader and a mentor for all my colleagues. The experience can help you and your team to avoid mistakes.
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Now, take a look at a few minor revisions you can make in the following sentences:
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• What are the advantages and disadvantages of hiring senior citizens that the article mentioned?
The article says that the advantages are the experience because they have had many years to learning learn. The article also says that these employees are more stable in your their workplace.
About the disadvantages the article doesn’t talk about it. The article only talks about the challenges that has to hire seniors workers.
It talks about the discrimination they might face.
• What is your opinion on continuing to work during your supposed retirement years?
I think that if a person is fine and wants to continue working, they should have the opportunity.
Also, I think that those years should be recompensed.
• What comes to mind when you hear the term ‘old age’?
I see that away still. But when I am old, I would like continued to continue practicing sports and I would like to travel a lot.
• For how long are you going to work and why?
I don’t know. Maybe until sixty-five years. I really like my work and my wife will work until sixty-five years too.
• Does age discrimination in hiring practices occur in your country? How can you tell?
Yes, in Spain the older people have fewer opportunities. Companies don’t want to hire older workers because they think these workers could get sick more often than younger ones.
But there is another problem, companies don’t want to hire younger workers because they have not experience.
• What aspects of becoming a senior employee do you look forward to?
I hope that the younger employees have respect and that me can to learn to them.
I think that both will can to learning and that that will be good for the company.
But, I more want is the respect for oldest workers.
Well done sharing your opinion about this topic.
Here is a sentence you can revise:
Keep going with your writing practice to improve more.
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of hiring senior citizens that the article mentioned?
On the one hand, the article argue that hiring senior citizens contributes to have more ages of experience that young hires, and because of their stability they could help junior employees to development the tasks in a better way.
However, the article also shows the disadvantage of the age discrimination that senior citizens have to face because it is generally considered that these type of people don’t have the ability to keep up to date with technology. According to the text, because of the century they had to live.
2. What is your opinion on continuing to work during your supposed retirement years?
From my point of view, I considerer that if I have worked 8-9 hours per day during all my life since I finished my degree it is enough time to allow me disconnect from the job and dedicate my retirement years to do other activities such as hobbies, enjoy with the family, etc.
3. What comes to mind when you hear the term ‘old age’?
When I hear the term “old age” I’m thinking in people of advanced age that have extensive experience about different aspects of the life like many work years and past anecdotes about how they had lived when technologies weren’t as advanced as they are today.
4. For how long are you going to work and why?
Nowadays, due to the economy situation is difficult to choose how many time I am going to work if I don’t want to have a reduction of retirement pension when I’m old. Therefore, in an ideal thought I would like to work until 65 years and then, enjoy the life.
5. Does age discrimination in hiring practices occur in your country? How can you tell?
Yes. In Spain, as in other countries I guess, many senior people have serious problem to find a job because companies sometimes prefer hiring young employees that put into practice the knowledge they have acquired during their studies and therefore, not pay much money to them. I know about situations where with the objective of invest few budget for employees, entities only hire more qualified individuals if it is extremely necessary.
6. What aspects of becoming a senior employee do you look forward to?
Becoming a senior employee is a good position that in a future I would like to achieve because I would earn much money than now and I would have the enough ability to perform different tricky duties with less help. Furthermore, I consider that in a senior position I would have more stability and I would demand better work conditions.
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Take a look at how this sentence can be improved:
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Vocabulary Questions:
1. “Minted” means new, recently released, Ex: The loot consisted of 100 coins minted in the 16th century.
2. To be “open to the idea” means to be willing to, to be prepared to face something new.
“You have to be open to the idea of having to learn more English if you want to get your certification”.
3. “To hop from one thing to another” means to change fast, to move “I´m always hopping from one issue to another, mi mind goes really fast”
Discussion Questions:
1. The pros and cons of hiring senior citizens mentioned in the article are the experience they bring with them, stability and serve as a role for younger employees
2. In a recent article I´ve read it was said that working during your supposed retirement years is a good idea while you have energy and want to be occupied , but as I see it, everybody deserves rest and have spare time.
3. The concept “old age” brings to my mind the last part of the life, when you are too old even to work.
4. I´m afraid I´ll have to work until I`ll be 67 years old or maybe less if I´m lucky and I won the lottery.
5. I´m of the opinion that age discrimination in hiring practices occurs everywhere but I have to admit that I don´t have any data to support my idea .
6. I hope by the time I reach “the old age” I have a secure and stable job, but if have to change job at this time and become a senior employee searching for a job, I will cross my fingers hopping to not suffer from age discrimination.
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See how this sentence can be improved:
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1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of hiring senior citizens that the article mentioned?
The advantages are they have more experience so they can help to improve other staff members and they tend to be more stable hires
The disadvantages are mainly they cannot handle technologys so easily
2. What is your opinion on continuing to work during your supposed retirement years?
I will not do it, maybe keep doing some technologies activities on my way but not in a managed projects like now
3. What comes to mind when you hear the term ‘old age’?
I think on a retired person i think because im getting older
4. For how long are you going to work and why?
I like to work until i have enough money to live the rest of the life and maintain somebody who are my responsability
5. Does age discrimination in hiring practices occur in your country? How can you tell?
About technologies skills i think yes. I think that younger people have more facilities to have tech skills, in general, but it depends on the person and life experience can help to learn anything, also technologies.
6. What aspects of becoming a senior employee do you look forward to?
I look fordward the self confidence that the experience gives to you.
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Take a look at how to write this sentence better:
Enjoy this activity while you develop your skills even more.
Newly Minted: Refers to somebody who has just finished his studies. “When I was newly minted I have less work experience than now”
Open to the idea: Refers to be prepare for bearing in mind. “I am open to idea to watch TV series in English to improve my listening skills.”
To hop from one thing to another: Refers to be constantly skipping one thing and continue with another. “I dont like to hop from one thing to another in my work tasks, I prefer going solving new issues little by little.”
1.
Advantage: more experience, professional and more prepared. More quiet, not searching for laboral progressions continuously. Role models for new employees.
Disadvatage: Less relible and not capable of performing their duties. More difficulties with new technologies.
2.
Not necessary. It is very important to have hobbies to be able to relax yourself without working. Workalcoholic
3.
Experience. Old customs. Bad technology.
4.
Until finishing all my targets. I am very focus on my work and I love them.
5.
Better hiring young people because they gain less money and it is easier to teach them as you want.
6.
Quiet in work. Experience. Not anxiety if you dont solve problems quickly.
You did well in writing your answers. To improve, make sure to write them in full sentences instead of phrases/fragments. Also include some details or explanations to express your points better.
Here is an example on how you can enhance this response:
Keep going to further improve your writing skills.
I think we have not just to see as seniors as old people who are so old to be retired. In my opinion, adult population in their 50’s to 60’s are considered as seniors when they are young! Did you hear the phrase; “the new 50’s are the old 40’s”? What I mean is that the society discriminates the middle age people as an old people, so if the middle age are discriminated against, we will imagine the senior people?!
I think that the most important thing is the freedom, what I mean is that any senior wants to continue working in his/her retirement ages, it is fantastic! But if only is beacause she or he wants, it will never be because she or he has not enough retirement pay. By the way, I have to say that not all jobs are able to continue working in senior ages. It means, it is not the same a financial manager than an installer, farmer, construction worker… The last ones are very hard and tired profession and it is not possible to keep working in certain ages…
But, it is namely this reason for my indignation in our system. The retirement age cannot be the same in all the jobs, it is not fair.
And finally, I am absolutely agree with the article. I think hiring senior is the best option because they are experienced workers and they know much more thanks to their experience. They will not have stupid ideas in their mind, so they will keep a good working environment in the work team. And on the other hand, having the opportunity to work with seniors is the best way to learn and to be better in your job.
Great work practicing your writing skills regularly. You were able to express your thoughts well.
See how you can revise these sentences to improve them a bit:
Until your next entry.
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of hiring senior citizens that the article mentioned?
The advantages associated with hiring seniors basically are related to the significant experience and knowledge they have acquired during the past years of work experience. Moreover, they are more stable hires as they have lower expectations and furthermore, they can play the role of mentors and coaching the younger employees. Among the disadvantages, it is worth to mention the possible age discrimination and the prejudice that a senior will be less performing than a younger employee, especially because they are supposed to be not able to handle with new technologies and they will be more reticent in learning new things.
2. What is your opinion on continuing to work during your supposed retirement years? During my retirement, for sure I will keep working on projects I care about. Consequently, it will not be a work but rather a pleasure for me. Now, I am working for money on projects that the company have chosen for me. I am basically obliged to do that. I think that continuing working during retirement is basically normal for people who have spent their life for a purpose, or for a mission. For example, I cannot image myself without studying or researching about renewable and sustainable systems.
3. What comes to mind when you hear the term ‘old age’? The term ‘old age’ makes me think about people who have stopped learning and growing personally and professionally. I do not necessarily correlate this term to the exact age of a person.
4. For how long are you going to work and why? Personally, I believe I am very lucky because my work in my passion. I am an engineer, and I am very passionate for my work. In addition to the work that I do on daily basis for my company I am a researcher in the field of automation, natural gas, and energy. I cannot imagen me stopping studying or researching on these topics not even after the retirement. So, I think I will keep working endlessly because to contribute to energy system improvements is a mission for me.
5. Does age discrimination in hiring practices occur in your country? How can you tell? Yes, of course age discrimination is one of the more common problems that especially women have to face during their carrier among others. Women in their 40s have few chances to find a new job especially if they have interrupted their carrier to take care of children or family. Companies consider them as ‘obsolete’ and as not reliable employees.
6. What aspects of becoming a senior employee do you look forward to? As a senior employee, I can contribute to the company growing with the expertise and know-how that I have acquired in the previous decades. Moreover, senior employees are more likely to be able to manage tricky situations at office and with clients as they have probably already experienced them in the past.
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You wrote your answers well.
Here is how these sentences can be written a little better:
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Vocabulary:
1. Minted: That is really new. Look at this coin, is freshly minted
2. open to the idea: Start to thing about it. You should be open to the idea that he will come with us
3. to hop from one thing to another: Change one thing to other. You jump from one country to another without being afraid, I’m a bit jealous.
Discussion:
1. The advantages are experience and the fact that they tend to be more stable than young people. The disadvantages are that some of they cannot handle technology as well as their younger counterparts.
2. It is important not to idealise the idea of working after retirement, as it is a step backwards in terms of social rights.
3. People that are in his last years of life.
4. I have been working for 6 years and I started in my last years of university to move in with my girlfriend.
5. I think so, but I can’t confirm it. I’ve seen a lot of posts on linkedin of people in their 50s complaining about not being hired because of their age.
6. I suppose that patience and knowing how to deal with certain situations due to age and experience
It’s great that you are continuing with your writing practice. Keep going with this exercise.
For question # 3, remember to try to elaborate as much as possible to better explain or express your ideas.
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