I remember being asked in a training workshop a few years ago where I wanted to be in 15 years. I said retired. The look on the trainer’s face has remained etched in my memory, completely unable to process the idea that I was not striving for career advancement. The reality is that I do not see myself ever retiring, and I view careers as evolutions rather than linear progressions. However, businesses struggle with this notion, clinging to rigid categories that fail to reflect the complexity of human experience.
It would seem that some organisations’ inability to embrace the diverse needs of mature workers reflects a more profound struggle with complexity itself. Just as intersectionality reveals the overlapping nature of identity, so too should businesses recognise that people cannot be reduced to simple categories. A striking example of this struggle is a major food manufacturer that, on the surface, champions gender equality, inclusion, and diversity. I’m observing this from the sidelines and hearing astonishing tales as their staff depart.
However, its treatment of mature workers may reveal a different story beneath the careers marketing rhetoric. Those over 40, more so 50, are often met with what they sense is oversensitivity when they push back against micromanagement or refuse to be treated like interns. This contradiction may expose a broader issue within large organisations: the tendency to apply a one-solution-fits-all, rather than engage with the finer details of human experience.
This issue is definitely not isolated. A 2023 report by the ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR) found that many mature workers in Australia feel excluded in today’s workforce (CEPAR Report). Despite extensive experience, they are often overlooked for professional development opportunities and denied flexible working arrangements, allowing them to contribute meaningfully on their terms. The Australian Human Rights Commission and the Australian HR Institute further revealed that one in six organisations are reluctant to hire individuals aged 65 and above (Human Rights Commission Report). At the same time, HR professionals widely acknowledge that older workers perform on par with or better than younger colleagues in areas such as job performance, concentration, adaptability, and creativity.
These findings reveal systemic barriers that prevent organisations from truly integrating mature workers into their workforce strategies.
It would seem the problem with many corporate diversity efforts is that they attempt to fit people into pre-existing boxes—young professionals, emerging leaders, retirees—rather than acknowledging the fluidity of individual priorities. HR departments need to adopt a flexible approach that recognises multiple solutions and accommodates the diverse needs of employees at different career stages. One approach does not fit all. Rather than seeking a universal framework, businesses should implement various policies and strategies that reflect their workforce’s varied expectations and experiences.
Mature workers bring deep knowledge, refined skills, and a capacity for mentorship that younger employees have yet to develop. However, they often find themselves sidelined as if their experience is a liability rather than an asset. This sidelining is a consequence of ageism and an organisational inability to manage complexity. Large corporations struggle with ambiguity; they crave structure, predictability, and categorisation. However, human beings defy such simplifications.
If businesses genuinely seek to foster inclusive environments, they must move beyond the notion of a one-size-fits-all approach. They must learn to embrace diversity in its fullest sense—not just diversity of race or gender, but diversity of thought, experience, and career trajectories. Mature workers are not a monolithic group. Some may wish to climb the corporate ladder, while others seek flexibility and balance. Some thrive in mentorship roles, while others prefer hands-on problem-solving. The key is not to impose a singular model but to create environments where multiple pathways coexist.
Instead of seeing career progression as a rigid climb, organisations should recognise it as a dynamic interplay of shifting priorities and personal evolutions. Workplaces must cultivate cultures that allow employees to redefine success on their terms. The companies that thrive will be the ones that understand that true inclusion is not about developing the perfect policy—it is about implementing the right mix of policies and ensuring employees have options tailored to their unique career trajectories and personal goals.
By embracing this complexity, businesses can move beyond superficial commitments to diversity and begin fostering truly dynamic, inclusive environments where people of all ages feel valued and engaged.
