Combining the experience of older workers with the know-how of younger ones is a formula for success, says the head of human resources for one of North America's largest hotel management organizations.

People in their 50s, 60s and older also need to overcome their reluctance to look for rewarding careers out of fear they'll be passed over by recruiters, says Sue Wadland, executive vice-president of human resources development for Royal Host Corp.

The experience that older employees bring to a job or lend as mentors is invaluable, she says, adding that younger people, in turn, may have high-tech knowledge that some older people lack. Employing greater numbers of mature workers is definitely a growing trend in companies' recruitment efforts, due to the impact of changing demographics.

"I think we're like all employers," Wadland says. "We're of course facing the challenge of finding employees with the talents and then retaining those employees. What attracts us (to older employees) in terms of the recruitment perspective is that dedication, commitment, loyalty to an employer and the fact that they're sharing the knowledge from previous positions."

Royal Host, a publicly-traded real estate investment trust, owns or manages 120 hotel franchises in Canada and the U.S., including well-known names, such as Travelodge, Holiday Inn, Best Western, Hilton and Ramada. Employment fluctuates with seasonal demand, ranging up to 3,500, with some 2,000 in Canada.

Wadland likes the phrase 'work wisdom'. She feels it best describes the common-sense values that mature employees bring to the workplace. But she's bothered by the fact that many older people may avoid applying for meaningful employment because of concerns their age will work against them. In fact, that's one reason Royal Host recognized the value of services offered by Prime50 in recruiting for one of its Toronto hotels.

"One of the things we see sometimes is hesitancy on the part of older people either to come back into the workforce or to go out and actively apply for the jobs because they're thinking they're going to give it to younger people," she says. "That was one of the reasons we worked with Prime50 specifically for Travelodge Toronto Yorkdale because we wanted to help build that confidence and find positions for those employees."

Companies need to recognize the advantage of having employees of all ages and levels of experience and skills working for them. Some older workers may benefit from working with younger people who have a greater level of comfort using new technology, while the older workers have a longer workplace track record, Wadland explains.

"One of the things that I see in the workplace is where you have a balance of different age groups. So you have the younger generation-they bring in confidence, they don't worry about computers-that they're going to blow up if you touch them. So you have a balance of 'work wisdom' and the confidence of 'let's try new things'. That's where I think the two can actually help complement each other."

Royal Host owns or manages a number of hotels that have employees in their 60s or 70s-some of whom have been with the same hotel for 35 years or more. Older people are increasingly showing interest in returning to the workplace, often on a part-time basis, Wadland says, adding many want to enter the hospitality sector as a new career.

"Some are saying it's something different and they'd like to give it a try. For example, a driver for a shuttle bus between the hotel and airport-they might have been in a factory and what they really enjoy about it is the opportunity to talk to people."

Anyone joining Royal Host is given more than adequate training in standard operating procedures for every imaginable job throughout the company. Twelve years ago, Wadland developed what's called the company's ESP (Extra-Special People) training program, covering roles, such as selling, security and service.

"Extra-special people," Wadland explains, "are ordinary people achieving exceptional things through training. There are easy reference tools for both the trainers and the new hires, regardless of their age-old or young."

And the company recognizes flexibility in work arrangements is essential for employees with family responsibilities, from children or grandchildren to older parents. "It attracts a lot of people-whether they're in the older part of their career or just young people with families."