If 70 is the new 50, why are workplaces still treating 50 like a full stop?
New report by the International Monetary Fund April 2025
The International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook (April 2025) confirms what many of us have seen anecdotally: thanks to dramatic gains in cognitive and physical health, today’s 70-year-olds now match the capabilities of 50-somethings from a generation ago.
Yet most workforce systems haven’t caught up. Many still edge experienced professionals out just as their value peaks.
📊 Experience rives results
Mercer’s report, Age, Experience and Business Performance: A Meta-Analysis of Work Unit-Level Effects (2024), found that longer tenure enhances business performance—including financial metrics, operational efficiency, and customer retention. Contrary to common bias, age had no negative effect.
🤝 Intergenerational teams perform strongly
Age-diverse teams perform on par with—if not better than—homogenous ones, thanks to richer decision-making and broader context.
💡Experienced professionals are under-leveraged
They bring loyalty, lower turnover, and institutional memory—yet are often overlooked by systems not designed for long lives. They can be used to mentor and train younger works. They're not a cost—they’re an underleveraged asset.
🔄 84% of employees don’t want to stop working
According to Mercer’s Global Talent Trends 2024, just 16% of employees plan to stop working completely at retirement. An overwhelming 84% expect to keep working in some form—whether phased, flexible, or project-based.
🧠 The Purpose Economy is driving force
Many are returning post-retirement not just due to inflation, but for intellectual stimulation, social connection, and continued identity.
The 100-year life is not a future scenario—it’s the present context. And if your workforce strategy hasn’t evolved to reflect that, it’s time to rethink.
No longevity strategy = no growth strategy.
The best leaders aren’t asking if they should have a longevity strategy —they’re asking how fasms
