Recognising the valuable knowledge and experience of senior colleagues

Irene van Deudekom (66), Marjan Pie (56) and Job Stierman (59) are all Experience committee members, with Irene as the chair. Although none of them feel that they themselves have received fewer opportunities due to their age (apart from Irene, who says “Except when I first joined ING and I was too old to participate in the management trainee programme”), they all wholeheartedly support Experience’s mission. Irene: “We’re all aware of cases of colleagues aged over 45 being placed lower down the list for certain projects, training or new roles. Personally, I believe it’s important that older employees’ experience is recognised and valued.”

Marjan and Job both had two reasons for joining the Experience committee: firstly to increase awareness of the added value of senior colleagues within the company, and secondly to meet new people. Marjan: “I was keen to channel my energy into something other than just work, and I regard the Experience goals as interesting and worthwhile. The role that you play as a senior team member deserves a bit more recognition.”

D&I also relates to age

Job: “There’s an amazing amount of diversity and inclusion (D&I) within ING in all respects, and that’s great because only then can we truly represent our customers and society in general. Age might not be the first aspect that springs to mind when you think of D&I, but it’s a real issue nevertheless. Mixed-age teams simply work better.”

Juniors and seniors reinforce one another

Marjan: “A team with a mix of young and old, junior and senior colleagues, has a very beneficial dynamic. They reinforce one another, because the younger ones have lots of energy and bring fresh perspectives, while the seniors can provide coaching, guidance and tips. They’ve usually got lots of experience and know how things work within the company. It’s also useful that they know how to navigate their way through ING’s pretty complex organisational structure.”

Irene: “The aim of the Experience network is to ensure that over-45s feel seen, heard and appreciated within ING. It’s about enabling them to continue doing worthwhile work and making a contribution so that all of this group’s valuable knowledge and experience doesn’t go to waste. Our network is a place where we can find like-minded people, where we can sometimes air our frustrations and – above all – where we are working on solutions.”

Own responsibility to remain employable

Job: “Just like everyone else, our age group faces specific issues that are associated with our age or maturity level, so it’s nice to be able to share your experiences with people who understand. Together, you can reflect on how something makes you feel or what you can do about it. For example, I was recently asked to work on a succession plan. It made me wonder whether I could also be considered for succession plans myself, because I’m only 59 and I have a good few years in me yet. In fact, I was hired when I was ‘already’ 57, so I can’t say that my age has stood in the way of me being offered opportunities. It’s your own responsibility to ensure you remain employable. As long as you do that, there are plenty of opportunities.”

Ambitions and plans

Irene: “Yes, the ball is definitely in our court. You need to keep yourself fit and healthy, do things you enjoy – both at work and outside of it – and move with the times.” Marjan: “I completely agree. A lot of it comes down to your own mindset. It’s important to make it clear that you have plans and ambitions, and that you’re prepared to work for them. That applies to everyone at ING, regardless of their age. With the Experience network, we’re raising awareness of this fact – and that includes among managers, because they are the ones who have to offer senior employees the opportunities, of course. So let’s work together to ensure that colleagues in the twighlight of their careers can continue to do their jobs, still have growth opportunities and therefore remain enthusiastic and valuable for ING.”

Job: “And as the management, let’s make it even more appealing for this group. Your needs change as you get older. By the way, I think it’s fair to say that at ING we’ve got some pretty good policies such as offering extra time off for care-givers or to do volunteer work.”

Activities

The Experience network regularly organises guest lectures followed by networking drinks. The topics are very broad, ranging from pension provisions to cybersecurity and from financial planning to well-being during coronavirus restrictions. And there are sometimes events with a cultural slant, such as a guided tour of the Rijksmuseum or a trip to an exhibition of modern photography.