SHRM CEO Testifies on the Potential of Older Workers

As the U.S. workforce ages and labor shortages persist, HR leaders are being called to reconsider long-standing assumptions about retirement, talent, and the value of experience.

That message took center stage when Johnny C. Taylor Jr., SHRM-SCP, president and CEO of SHRM, testified March 25 before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging in Washington, D.C., highlighting both the challenges and opportunities facing older workers.

“America’s workforce is changing,” Taylor told lawmakers. “In 1994, about 12% of Americans age 65 and older were working. Today, it’s closer to 20%. And in the years ahead, the fastest-growing segment of our labor force will be individuals age 75 and older. This is not a temporary trend. It’s a structural shift — and it requires us to rethink how we approach work and retirement.”

For HR leaders, that shift is already underway. Organizations are grappling with talent shortages, evolving employee expectations, and policy frameworks that have not kept pace with demographic realities. A repeated focus of the hearing centered on repealing the Social Security retirement earnings test and clarifying the process around claiming Social Security benefits.

Taylor emphasized that longer careers are not purely economic necessity. They are increasingly a matter of choice and well-being.

“People are not just working longer because they have to. They’re working longer because they want to. Because work provides more than a paycheck — it provides purpose and connection,” he said. “And research shows older adults who remain engaged in work experience better mental and physical health outcomes, including lower rates of depression and stronger cognitive function.”

For HR professionals, this reframes workforce participation as a quality-of-life issue as much as a labor market trend. Designing roles that enable continued engagement can support both organizational goals and employee well-being.

Event: SHRM Talent 2026

An Untapped Talent Advantage

At a time when hiring remains difficult, older workers represent a largely underutilized talent pool. “Employers across this country are struggling to find talent. Nearly 7 in 10 organizations report difficulty filling roles,” Taylor said. “And yet one of the most capable talent pools in America is often overlooked: experienced workers.”

He pointed to research from the SHRM Foundation describing older workers as “untapped talent” — a group that delivers measurable business value. “This is not just a social good. It is a business advantage,” Taylor said, noting that increasing the share of workers age 50 and older by just 10% is associated with a 1.1% gain in productivity.

SHRM data reinforces that case: More than 80% of HR professionals say older workers bring exceptional reliability and expertise, and over 90% say they perform as well as — or better than — other employees. In an uncertain labor market, Taylor added, experienced workers offer consistency, judgment, and stability.

When it comes to retaining or re-engaging older workers, flexibility is critical. Taylor identified flexible work programs, phased retirement options, and part-time scheduling opportunities as potential solutions for increased inclusion of older workers.

These preferences align with broader workforce trends. Rachel Greszler, senior research fellow at the nonprofit Advancing American Freedom in Indianapolis, noted in her testimony that “Today’s seniors are redefining what retirement looks like. Rather than a one-time permanent exit, about half are choosing nontraditional retirement paths, like part-time work and unretirement, coming back into the workforce.”

Perception and Policy Barriers

Despite these advantages, both workplace norms and policy continue to limit participation. Taylor was direct in addressing bias: “There’s no question that ageism is alive and well,” he said. “People have biases, like how we speak about older employees. The perception that older workers need to move on.”

He also noted generational tensions: “The inherent tension between older and younger workers is about opportunity. Younger employees want their next shot, and they see the older employee staying put.” Addressing these dynamics requires intentional design, including initiatives such as reverse mentoring and expanded part-time opportunities.

Taylor urged HR leaders to examine hiring and development practices. That includes advocating for excluding graduation dates on resumes, avoiding coded language like “digital natives” in job postings, and ensuring older workers are not left out of upskilling opportunities.

Importantly, he emphasized that ageism is not always overt. “Ageism does not only imply intentional discrimination, but employers, HR professionals, and colleagues should be mindful of how biases or isolated negative experiences can shape perceptions of older workers,” he said.

Specialty Credential: Talent Acquisition

Policy reform emerged as a central theme of the hearing, particularly around the Social Security retirement earnings test. Under current law, workers who opt to receive Social Security benefits before their full retirement age, choose to continue to work, and earn over $24,480 per year are restricted by the provision from receiving their full Social Security benefits. The benefits are credited back once full retirement age is reached.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., who has introduced a bill to repeal the retirement earnings test, said it “penalizes older workers unfairly.”

Scott noted that the provision, originally enacted in the 1930s, “punishes workers between the ages of 62 and 66 who start to claim their Social Security retirement benefits,” adding, “we should not expect our seniors to be punished today by outdated laws.”

Greszler echoed those concerns, calling the earnings test “a relic of the Great Depression” that “effectively functions as an initial 50% tax for those who claim their benefits early.” According to her analysis, repealing the policy could add up to 1 million workers to the labor force.

Taylor reinforced the need for alignment between policy and workforce realities. “Right now, the way policies like the Social Security retirement earnings test are structured can discourage continued work at the very moment we should be encouraging it — limiting earnings for workers and making it harder for employers to retain experienced talent,” he said.