Older workers wanted: companies in seduction mode with 60 to 69 year olds

Long gone are the days when 60-year-old workers were left behind, on the “service road” while waiting for retirement! Companies are courting and snapping up these experienced employees who could help Quebec deal with the extreme shortage of manpower.

“This category of workers can make a difference if we find the right ways of doing things, the appropriate arrangements to support them,” says Karl Blackburn, president of the Conseil du patronat du Québec (CPQ) during an interview with The newspaper.

The employers’ organization has been racking its brains for several months in order to deal with the labor shortage. Currently, there are more than 250,000 vacant positions in Quebec.

“We’re fishing in an empty lake! In some cases, we are witnessing a displacement of workers and no net creation, ”explains Mr. Blackburn.

“In all regions, employers are using new ways of doing things to combat the shortage of labor and housing. Employers have become real estate agents, it’s not pranks, ”he says.

Closing the gap with Ontario

For several years, companies have been encouraged to robotize and automate, to requalify employees, to use temporary foreign workers. But according to the CPQ, maintaining or recruiting people aged 60 and over could also make it possible to solve a third of the shortage in Quebec.

“If we had the same employment rate for 60-69 year olds as in Ontario, that’s between 75 and 90,000 more workers than we would have on the labor market in Quebec,” says Mr. Blackburn.

Listen

But to do this, employers will have to change their ways and listen. “We will develop best practices for retaining these workers and attracting them,” he promises.

The CPQ is also launching a vast project called “Séduction 60-69 ans” to develop tools for retaining or hiring these workers.

Over two years, the organization will list the best practices with around thirty companies (see down there) in order to develop a guide and wants to help around 60 of them in the most affected sectors (construction, manufacturing, retail trade, accommodation and food services).

While waiting for the publication of the guide, Mr. Blackburn believes that employers must make efforts to keep their workers aged 60 and over employed, in particular by implementing reduced hours.

“We have noticed that it is much easier to retain workers than to bring them back to the labor market, it is a clear observation,” he explains.

Review retirement?

The CPQ points out that in Quebec, workers retire at age 62, two years earlier than the Canadian average.

“Does this have to do with the culture of liberty 55? I don’t really know. But we will have to rethink or reconsider this element. Before, we planned to retire at 65, because life expectancy was 70-75 years. But there, you can live to be 85 years old. We may need to rethink our model,” he believes.

A few weeks ago, the Minister of Labour, Jean Boulet, closed the door on raising the retirement age to 67 in Quebec.

“We continue to analyze our options, particularly of a tax nature, but for the moment, raising the retirement age is not envisaged,” he underlined.

Contacted by The newspaperthe minister’s office supports the process of seduction of 60-69 year olds.

“All market partners must commit to integrating and retaining more experienced workers in employment. They have valuable know-how and experience for businesses,” the minister said by email.

Even if this is deemed insufficient by employers, the CAQ government has implemented a tax credit for career extension and a targeted initiative for older workers.

People over 60 and the shortage of workforce in a few figures

Job vacancies in Quebec 1: 253,000
Positions to be filled by 2030² : 1,4 million

Activity rate of 60-69 ans

In Ontario: 42.7%
In Quebec: 36%

Population inactive in Quebec 3

60-64 years old: 300,900 people
65-69 years old: 426,100 people

1. In May 2022

2. According to Quebec government projections

3. One March 2022

The main measures to please 60 to 69 year olds

Schedule adapted to the needs of workers (week of 1-2-3 days)
Employer flexibility
Reduce or adapt the workload
Listening to the needs of workers
Do not impose overtime
Attract experienced workers with an attractive tax system

Reduced week and flexible hours to keep the experienced

In these times of staff shortages, it is rare to come across companies that are not short of employees. This is the case of Ultima Fenestration, an SME in Saint-Georges de Beauce with 84 workers, which has succeeded in keeping the most experienced in employment.

Photo courtesy, Ultima Fenestration

David Poulin. Director of Ultima Fenestration

“I’m knocking on wood, but right now I have all the staff I need,” said David Poulin, director of operations and human resources for the company, during an interview with the Journal.

The SME founded 17 years ago relies on temporary foreign workers, but also on people aged 60 and over.

“Your 9 hours are expensive”

“We had employees who were retiring. They gave to society and they are often grandparents. So, we must allow them to enjoy their family time. What we did internally, we told them: “tell me what you can give me and we’ll take it,” explains Mr. Poulin.

Currently, 7 experienced employees are employed by the company. Some work half days or one day a week.

“We have a 60-year-old worker who does maintenance. He had only one day to give us. We told him: “We take it! Your nine hours, they are expensive now!”, explains the leader.

Accept atypical models

In another case, a 71-year-old worker, Hilaire Bergeron, wanted to be able to work on a sugar shack during late winter and spring. The company accepted this atypical schedule to the delight of the septuagenarian.

“I stop at the holidays, I rest a little and then I go to the cabin and I put the torches in the notches. They call me the woodsman! There is not a young person who is able to follow me, ”he says, laughing.

Then, after sugaring off, he returns to work at the factory. He wouldn’t change his schedule for all the gold in the world.

“The world calls me crazy because I keep working. But for me to stop working is to die standing up. They say to me: “you are still speedy!” But I pedal, I go fast,” he said.

For several years he was a frame builder. For the past two years, his employer has lightened his workload and he is assembling parts.

“I will stay as long as I am able to stand! I told the guys: “even on a walker, I’ll come to work, if necessary!”, asserts the valiant worker.

Flexibility remains the central point in retaining or recruiting these employees.

Respect requests

“It is sure that it is necessary to make a baccalaureate in Tetris with the schedules, but the Beaucerons one is able!”, launches Mr. Poulin.

According to him, it is also necessary to respect the requests of the staff and not to test their limits.

“When I have overtime, I don’t ask them. They will say yes to me, but they will perhaps go away afterwards. They don’t want to do 60 hours. They must be respected. You have to appreciate the time they are there,” he explains.