The Experienced Workforce Gap: Why Supporting Older Workers’ Wellbeing Is HR’s Next Strategic Priority

Age-inclusive wellbeing has become one of the most consequential gaps in workforce management. Research published by Verve Healthcare in HR Magazine, based on a poll of 2,000 UK employees in January 2026, found fewer than half — 45% — of workers aged 55 and over feel supported by their employer when experiencing work-related stress or illness. By comparison, 74% of those aged 25 to 34 feel supported. For organisations that depend on experienced talent, this gap is commercially significant.

The findings deserve serious board-level attention. They reveal a disconnect between organisations’ wellbeing ambitions and the lived experience of their most tenured employees. Three opportunities emerge: closing the age wellbeing gap to protect retention, unlocking the value of experienced workers, and building a genuinely inclusive health support culture.

The retention case alone justifies action. The OECD Employment Outlook 2025 found only 6% of workers aged 45 to 64 change jobs annually, against 17% of those under 30 — older workers are a stable talent base organisations risk losing through neglect. Simon Jones of Ariadne Associates noted in HR Magazine that older workers often mask health concerns to avoid appearing unprofessional, meaning distress goes undetected until it triggers absence.

The commercial stakes extend further. The OECD 2025 UK country note found 15% of workers aged 55 to 64 are classified as “strained” — where job demands exceed available resources. The Centre for Ageing Better has shown that people over 50 with long-term health conditions are 60% more likely to exit the workforce entirely. Losing experienced employees to preventable exits carries direct costs in recruitment, knowledge, and continuity.

The opportunity is to convert this gap into a differentiator. Organisations investing in age-inclusive wellbeing — proactive health assessments, flexible working, and trained line managers — gain advantage where experienced talent is scarce. The Verve Healthcare data itself is instructive: 56% of those aged 45 to 54 feel supported, showing targeted intervention at mid-career can reverse the trajectory before the deeper deficit sets in at 55.

Three actions will help leaders close the gap. First, audit health benefit utilisation by age band to identify where older workers are under-accessing support. Second, train line managers in age-sensitive conversations, equipping them to raise wellbeing proactively without stigma. Third, embed flexible working and occupational health referral pathways as standard entitlements so older employees feel empowered to seek support without risking perceived professionalism.

The Verve Healthcare findings present a clear mandate: organisations that treat age-inclusive wellbeing as a strategic priority will protect experienced talent and outperform peers on retention and productivity. For CHROs in Ireland and the UK, the advantage lies not in attracting younger workers alone but in ensuring experienced employees remain healthy, supported, and committed for longer.

(The views expressed by the writer are his/her own and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of BusinessRiver.)