Start-ups still struggle to overcome diversity. In the basement of the forgotten, we find… seniors. They are absent from the panorama, except when it comes to the lucrative business of silvertech, this market which relies on new technologies to facilitate the daily lives of the elderly. In short, we think of everything, except hiring them.

Although we do not currently have any statistics, we know that only 56% of people aged 55 to 64 are employed (Dares, 2023). A figure which remains lower than most European countries, even if it has been increasing since 2000.

The government is betting that its pension reform will further increase the employment rate of 60-64 year olds from 35.5% today to 41.5% in 2030. And this without any senior index or financial penalties, because the device provided for in the bill was censured by the Constitutional Council…

In young shoots, the senior is not simply forgotten, but rather a taboo. According to a study on diversity and inclusion within the Diversidays start-up ecosystem of July 2022, 39% of candidates have experienced discrimination when hiring start-ups. Age being the first discriminating criterion.

In this world, which puts the agility, the pivot, the resourcefulness, the nerve and the hands in the grease at the pinnacle, the a priori relate rather to the “lunch break” and coffee of Jean-Michel, Alain and Geneviève, them , which would have trouble “pivoting”. A backlash unprecedented in the history of work: before it was up to the young greenhorn to prove himself, to show his credentials to finally be dubbed by the world of real adults.

In start-ups, it is up to seniors, who are immediately deemed unsuitable, to adapt and demonstrate their abilities. It’s up to seniors to face mistrust and stereotypes: “they cost too much”, “they don’t have the codes and the culture”, “they can’t learn anything anymore”, “they are not fast enough”, “they can’t adapt anymore”, “they are impossible to manage”…

To unravel these beliefs, it is necessary to attack the evil at the root. Who are these famous seniors? Are you senior at 50? Are these the so-called “boomers”, many of whom are already retired? It is said that “they are expensive”. In fact, with the new flexibility of work, these experienced profiles can bring their expertise to several start-ups, on a freelance or part-time or shared basis, rather than relying on a single employer. Above all, in a consultant posture, they are more inclined to be welcomed and listened to attentively.

“They can’t learn anything more?” They have taken up many challenges during their professional life and can be trained to enable them to adapt better or to master the latest tools. “Aren’t they fast enough?” The speed of action of a junior without any substantive expertise may also be questionable. “They are impossible to manage? The numerous publications on the difficulty of managing Generation Z and the future Alpha generation tend to show that the problem is more global and that it is not linked to age, but rather to the aspirations of employees and to a refoundation HR.

It wouldn’t take much for startups to change their mindset and outlook on experience. Accept that you can’t write the same job description for a 55-year-old profile as for a 25-year-old profile. And that you can surround yourself with people more competent than you without finding yourself infantilized. Training and personal development can greatly contribute to breaking down these locks, these cognitive biases. And to put back in place symbols that put us at ease, on both sides.

To remain in their inbreeding, start-ups cut themselves off from a great diversity of ages and profiles. Diversity guarantees agility and profitability. With a resigned senior index, there is no longer any real and concrete guarantee of integrating seniors into start-ups. You can always put your head in your sweater and sing very, very loud a song from the Platters or the Black Socks… Or decide that flexibility and training can put the expertise and professional value of seniors back at the center of the game.

*Caroline Pailloux, founder of Ignition Program.