Harness the Power of Senior Workforce
Retirement in India is often perceived as an abrupt end to an individual’s professional and productive life. For many of the retired souls, it is not just a transition but a living death. A phase where their accumulated wisdom and experience are suddenly deemed irrelevant. Many of them start losing their strengths for not practising their talent and finally dissolve, remaining untapped. It is like climbing a high wall, and finally, you are made to fall.
Many retired people feel they are being underestimated and even sometimes underused. Senior citizens argue that at a time when the longevity of life has increased, and health conditions have improved in India with the invention of life-saving vaccinations and medicines, they should be better utilised. With the growing population of senior citizens in the country with no useful work, their mental and physical utility starts degenerating and hence leads to lethargy and stress, while their experience, skill and expertise could have been better used for the country’s upliftment and betterment. It continues to remain an untapped force. It is imperative to reconsider whether the traditional retirement age of 60 still serves the best interests of individuals as well as of the nation or if it needs reconsideration.
Many thinkers and well-wishers suggest that to improve our country, we should discuss, research, and debate and bring important changes. Instead of lawmakers wasting time in parliament arguing about history and blaming past mistakes, experienced senior citizens and retired service members should be involved in policy-making, nation building.
They could contribute their expertise by working in research labs within their respective ministries, parliaments, states, and union territories to find research-based practical solutions to development and social issues for better decision-making for future projects for the society and the country. For which both research and experience are needed and hence utilisation of the retired people, who spend more time idling in their respective homes, parks can be better utilised for the country’s growth. This approach would ensure that public money is spent wisely and policies focus on the people-centric and people-friendly rather than political arguments or knee jerk decisions.
India, with its growing economy and increasing life expectancy, must rethink the outdated notion of forced retirement. Many senior citizens remain physically fit and mentally sharp well into their seventies yet are asked to step aside at the age of 60 years as if they have outlived their utility. This, for me, is a wasted opportunity. If a politician can lead a nation at the age of above 70, then why not a corporate unit worker or of a government department employee?
The private sector and politics already demonstrate the power of experience. Many corporate leaders and political figures continue to lead well beyond the standard retirement age, proving that age is not a barrier to contribution but an asset. The grey-haired is more mature and experienced, and if the experience is married to tech-savvy youth, the engine of growth will have a leapfrog, not only in the development of the nation but also in the GDP of the nation. So, we need to rethink, value wisdom, experience and leadership and extend the same logic to other sectors, utilising the retired persons rather than dumping them.
No one can deny that despite the increasing role of machines, Artificial Intelligence, the country’s workforce, is its greatest asset. While youth are the drivers of innovation and energy, experienced professionals offer stability, mentorship, and institutional memory. A balanced workforce—one that includes both the young and the elderly—can create a synergy like boat rowers in a regatta, where synchronised effort propels the boat forward more effectively.
So, progressive India, if it wants to further enhance its current GDP, utilising the experience and skills of its retired workforce and senior citizens is a must.
By continuing the services of retired persons for a couple of more years or re-integrating experienced professionals into the workforce, India can unlock a previously untapped reservoir of productivity. Senior citizens can help bridge skill gaps, mentor younger workers, and provide strategic insights that come from years of experience.
Why Indians go out of country
We are currently witnessing many developing nations finding themselves in a position where they have an ageing and decreasing population. So, most of these wealthy countries are utilising the services of youth and skilled workers from developing countries, including India.
These economic migrants, in fact, are presently the engine of sustaining the growth of wealthy countries but at the cost of brain-drain of their own respective country. I have seen and experienced how Bhutan is suffering despite being in the quotient of Gross National Happiness. The country has around eight lakh population. However, their youth is vanishing into developing countries like Australia, Europe, and the Gulf, thus bringing massive shortages of staff in their own country’s sectors, such as healthcare and education, where skilled professionals are in short supply. This demographic shift in Bhutan has created economic and social challenges, and it has started worrying the country for a known happiness quotient.
At the same time, rapid technological advancements and climate change demand experienced professionals who can navigate complex transitions. Senior workers can bring decades of industry knowledge, problem-solving skills, and leadership qualities that will be invaluable in managing these changes.
Some global examples from where we can learn as several countries have already recognised the value of senior workers and have revised their policies accordingly.
Let us take the example of Singapore: The country has actively encouraged senior citizens to work. They raised the retirement age progressively by offering incentives for companies to retain older workers. The government even mandates re-employment for up to 70 years to ensure experienced professionals continue contributing to their country’s economic growth. We have seen the results. Singapore, despite its size, not only accommodates its own population but hires experts globally. It has led to massive research centres, and perhaps Singapore’s education system and universities are considered nowadays as one of the best-competing universities in the world.
Japan is another example that is facing a shrinking workforce. The country embraced policies that keep senior citizens in employment for longer years. Japanese companies feel pride in hiring experienced and older workers, recognising their discipline, reliability, and vast knowledge.
Germany and the Netherlands too have introduced flexible retirement policies, allowing older employees to work part-time while drawing partial pensions. This phased approach prevents a sudden loss of experienced workers from the job market; thus, institutional memory continues to grow and be utilised.
The United States has seen a growing trend of older workers remaining active in various sectors, particularly in healthcare, academia, and corporate leadership. Companies such as Boeing and General Motors have structured mentorship programs where retiring professionals pass on their expertise to younger employees, ensuring continuity of knowledge.
Policy Recommendations
To utilise and engage this untapped and undervalued labour pool of talented senior citizens in a meaningful way, India needs policy interventions that promote engagement.
India needs to raise the Retirement Age. First and foremost. Given increasing life expectancy and improved health standards, the retirement age should be gradually extended, starting with sectors facing labour and skill shortages.
Flexible work arrangements. Covid has taught us how to work from home and in flexible hours. Companies should introduce part-time roles, phased retirement plans, and project-based engagements to allow seniors to remain productive without overexertion.
Tax incentives for hiring seniors: Employers should be incentivised to retain and hire older workers through tax benefits or subsidies.
Author is National Editor,
Greater Kashmir
Mentorship and knowledge transfer programs: Organisations should establish structured mentorship programs so that retiring professionals train younger employees, ensuring seamless skill transfer.
Combat ageism in the workplace: We all say that age now-a-days is just numbers. well researched sensitisation programs need to be drafted and implemented to break stereotypes about older workers and foster an inclusive workforce culture.
India stands at a crossroads
If India chooses to recognise and utilise its senior workforce effectively, it can harness an immense pool of wisdom, experience, and stability that will drive economic growth in speed. The government, businesses, and society must work together to redefine retirement, not as an end but as a transition into a phase of continued contribution. After all, a nation that values its elders is a nation that truly values progress and allows the senior citizens to maintain their health, capacity, and acceptance to the society. Even our culture and religion teach us the same. Encourage their participation by small baby steps. It will not only boost productivity and sustainable economic growth but also reduce dependency on social security systems.
