How the Pandemic Has Created New Demand for Older Workers

Ordinarily, hiring managers tend to be skeptical of workers who have taken long career breaks or retired and want to return. They worry the workers’ skills have deteriorated or become obsolete, that they will face long ramp-up times, that they are overqualified, uncommitted, or are just too old. The current crisis is changing that in some fields. Nurses, physicians, and computer coders proficient in COBOL are being pulled from retirement, proving the value of this cohort. Even once the crisis ends, this experience should help to dispel negative stereotypes about workers who have left the workforce but want to return.