February 4, 2026
Gray hair, green dollars
Why More Companies Are Recognizing the Benefits of Keeping Older Employees
Experience is winning, and commenters are saying “finally”
TLDR: Evidence from B&Q and BMW shows older workers can boost profits and productivity, pushing companies to rethink age bias. Commenters cheered hard-earned “tribal knowledge,” praised mentorship, and slammed ageist hiring and bad ergonomics—arguing smarter workplaces help everyone, making this a win for people and performance.
Turns out keeping older employees isn’t just nice—it’s profitable. The article spotlights B&Q’s 1989 experiment that staffed a store with older workers and saw profits jump 18%, plus BMW’s low-cost ergonomic tweaks that boosted productivity 7%. Bank of America’s white paper says age-inclusive benefits are a performance play, not charity, and exec Cynthia Hutchins backs hybrid schedules, menopause support, and even grandparents’ leave. The comments? They lit up.
One top vibe: “Respect the elders.” Havaloc drops the meme-worthy line—“Old age and treachery will always beat youth and exuberance”—and warns that losing older staff is “at your peril,” especially in bureaucracies where they know how to actually get things done. Dangus brings the workplace heat, arguing that designing for older bodies helps everyone: stop assuming “strong dudes” can grind through repetitive tasks when it just tanks productivity for all.
Then there’s ThrowawayTestr waving the “tribal knowledge” flag—documentation won’t catch every edge case—and rr808 (in their 50s) mentoring grads because “no one has time to help anymore.” The sharpest edge comes from stego-tech, calling out ageism as a “dick move” in a precarious job market where people in their 30s pare down resumes to look younger. The drama isn’t young vs. old; it’s reality vs. corporate myths—and the crowd’s over the myths.
Key Points
- •B&Q’s 1989 Macclesfield store staffed largely with older workers saw an 18% profit increase, lower turnover, and reduced absenteeism.
- •BMW’s 2007 Dingolfing assembly line made 70 ergonomic, low-cost changes for older workers, yielding a 7% productivity increase.
- •Declining birth rates and AI investments are reducing entry-level workforce inflows, elevating the importance of retaining older workers.
- •A Bank of America Workplace Benefits white paper positions age-inclusive benefits as performance drivers for roles requiring judgment and experience.
- •Cynthia Hutchins details Bank of America’s workforce longevity policy, including flexible and supportive benefits for older employees.