With all of the talk of the millennial generation entering the workplace, it's easy for leaders to get distracted and forget the more established generations of jobseekers.

These are the employees who have years of highly relevant experience that's tough to find elsewhere, and this in turn ensures they're ready to take on management roles as younger generations enter the workforce. This raise a question: what do you need to do to attract mature jobseekers?

Let's take a look at the mature recruitment space, how you can attract workers with framework training and subsequently build an effective middle management tier.

Attracting mature workers

The recent Federal Budget brought forth a number of changes for Australian businesses, but one of the stand-out points was the inclusion of an incentive to bring workers aged 50 years and older on board. Recruitment expert Hays explained that with this change, it makes sense for employers to start widening their candidate pools.

"Mature-age employees have a lot to offer employers, but as a group they are not being fully utilised," says Managing Director of Hays in Australia & New Zealand Nick Deligiannis.

He went on to outline that, while there have been various government initiatives put in place to grow recruitment in this area, most employers fail to attract mature candidates.

So what's the solution? Well, there are actually a few areas you need to start thinking about:

• Focus on the brand: Ensuring the business brand is age-friendly is key, and Hays recommends conducting a brand review.
• Take a look at skills: When assessing candidates, look at skills and not age. Instead of interviewing for someone who is relatable, ensure they're being given a fair chance.
• Expand the hiring pool: You'll likely find a number of millennial jobseekers on recruitment websites, while older workers could resort to more traditional methods. Ensure you're taking these into account.
• Offer training: Upskilling is a useful tool to attract any generation of worker, especially something like the ITIL framework, which can prove useful when working with IT.

Building middle management

Taking on these slightly older and more experienced workers opens up a unique opportunity for many businesses – especially those growing from a small to medium organisation.

Mr Deligiannis explained that a middle management level is necessary for a company to grow, as it helps to shift some of the responsibility away from upper management when it becomes difficult to manage.

"Bringing in a middle management tier is a common necessity for businesses making the step from small organisation to medium," he said. "And it's often challenging as it requires the management team – and usually its founders – to delegate to a new level of management and stand back from the daily work they began."

Generation considerations are a now necessity in the workplace.

He also outlined the necessity of deciding on a strong structure, as businesses need to choose from several if they're looking to put more formal management in place. Mr Deligiannis explained how HR would prove critical here when deciding upon new management structures, especially as the department can help to work out job responsibilities and where staff are required.

If there's one key takeaway, it's that businesses need to start thinking more seriously about the workforce, especially given the sheer choice that's presented. Millennials can offer a new approach to tired processes, and older workers can bring experience after years in the workforce.

Get in touch with ALC today if you'd like to learn more about the frameworks that can help your company and your staff succeed, whether they're millennials or a more mature generation.