The Ministry of Economy and Labour today announced the release of the Retaining Bermudian Workers Aged 65+ Policy Guide for Employers, a comprehensive resource designed to help organisations retain, re-engage, and support Bermudian workers aged 65 and older as part of a broader national strategy to strengthen the workforce.
Bermuda, like many advanced economies, is experiencing significant demographic change. An ageing population, declining birth rate, and acute labour shortages across multiple sectors have increased the urgency for employers to adopt age-inclusive workforce practices. The new guide provides practical tools, drawn from global best practice, to help employers respond effectively.
Minister of Economy and Labour, the Hon. Jason Hayward, JP, MP, emphasised the importance of leveraging the experience and expertise of older Bermudians, stating, “Bermuda’s demographic reality is clear, we are an ageing society with a shrinking labour pool. To maintain a strong economy and ensure continuity across essential services, we must retain the skills, knowledge, and mentorship capacity of our older Bermudian workers. This guide provides employers with the practical strategies they need to do just that.”
The Age Retention Policy Guide outlines a range of evidence-based approaches that employers can implement, including:
- Phased retirement and structured re-employment
- Flexible and part-time work options
- Skills-based hiring and the removal of age-biased recruitment language
- Continuous training and mid-career reskilling
- Structured mentorship and knowledge transfer programmes
- Job redesign and ergonomic adjustments to support productivity
- Opportunities for second careers and consulting roles
In addition to strategy guidance, the document includes sample policy wording, implementation steps, and success metrics to help organisations build age-inclusive practices into their broader workforce planning. These tools support better succession planning, lower turnover, and stronger operational resilience.
Minister Hayward, underscoring the essential role older Bermudians play in strengthening the workforce and urging employers to take an active role in addressing the island’s demographic challenges, explained, “Workers aged 65 and older contribute reliability, leadership, institutional knowledge, and long-standing client relationships. Retaining even a small fraction of this talent significantly strengthens our workforce. Age inclusion is not just a social good; it is a strategic economic imperative. Demographic change affects every business in Bermuda, and I strongly encourage employers, HR leaders, unions, and industry partners to review this guide and incorporate its recommendations. Building age-inclusive policies today will help secure a more stable and sustainable labour market for the future.”
The Age Retention Policy Guide for Employers is now available to all organisations and can be accessed through the Ministry of Economy and Labour’s website.
The Ministry of Economy and Labour will continue working with employer groups, unions, and industry stakeholders to support the adoption of age-inclusive practices across the economy.