Older Workers May be Better Workers

In our increasingly service and knowledge based economy, the older worker may have an advantage. As reported on NPR, it turns out that the brain peaks in middle age, seeing the bigger picture more rapidly, increasing processing speed with increased "white matter" (a fatty substance coating the usual grey matter), and increased problem solving -- all in the older brain.

As reported by Barbara Strauch in her book The Secret Life of the Grown Up Brain, some stereotypical age-related symptoms do occur, such as forgetfulness, but these are not necessarily as bad as they seem, and can be combated by challenging the brain every day, preferably through real intellectual rigor, such as making a cogent argument to an intellectual adversary (makes me glad I'm a lawyer).

So, employers are bound by the stick presented by the ADA and the ADEA (outlawing age discrimination in employment), but are may find that hiring and retaining older workers is better for the bottom line.