Generational Transition: A Development Lever for Everyone in the Workplace – By Coline Philippon, Associate Director at Grant Alexander – Executive Interim for FocusRH
27.01.2025
In a rapidly changing world, companies have learned—sometimes reluctantly—to manage various transitions, notably environmental and digital ones. Yet one major area is often overlooked: generational transition, driven by the aging workforce. The taboo around demographic change strikes me, having entered the job market about ten years ago. I see it as a missed opportunity for both collective and individual growth. So, how can we raise awareness and shift perspectives?
A Societal Responsibility for Companies
Life expectancy is rising, birth rates are falling. The result: France is aging. According to INSEE, by 2030, one in three French people will be over 60. This reality rightly fuels debates around old age, end-of-life care, and the sustainability of the pay-as-you-go pension system.
Yet there is a blind spot in these discussions: the impact of demographic change on the labor market. While retirees are often the focus (and rightly so), active workers are largely overlooked. This is concerning because 2025 will mark a new peak in workforce aging: according to INSEE, 35% of the working population will be between 50 and 64 years old. We tend to ignore this because about half of that age group is unemployed and thus off the radar. A September 2023 study also highlighted that most HR directors admitted to having automatically discarded senior candidates at the request of management. In this respect, France ranks among the least proactive countries in the European Union.
Companies cannot afford to stay detached from such a critical societal and structural issue as workforce aging. They have a role to play. Some may argue that senior employment is already addressed—but often poorly, through legal obligations, regulations, and cost considerations, always framed negatively. We need to change our perspective and approach this transition proactively.
Addressing this challenge also means confronting one of the most tangible forms of discrimination in our societies, yet one often ignored in diversity and inclusion initiatives: ageism. A significant part of my generation and the next carries numerous prejudices and stereotypes. People under 40 often constitute a major barrier to generational connection, quick to criticize “boomers” without realizing the positive contributions they can offer.
[…]