Invest in experience.

A friend of mine told me he applied for over 600 jobs during a recent career break. He’s brilliant. Senior. Strategic. And over 50. The kind of person any team would be lucky to have. But like so many others, he’s been quietly edged out of the workforce. No drama. No headlines. Just the slow disappearance of experience from the room.

 

This week I read about something they call Madogiwa-zoku in Japan. Literally, the Window-Gazing Tribe. It refers to employees who’ve given decades to one company. No longer in the thick of it, but still there. Still earning a salary. Still part of the story. To some, it might look wasteful. But in Japan, it’s a quiet signal of stability. Of loyalty. Of long-term thinking.

Companies like Toyota Motor Corporation, Honda and Sony have all practised variations of this approach and built some of the most enduring brands in the world. Back in 2008, when Western companies laid off millions, many Japanese firms held the line. They didn’t cut people. They kept them. Moved them to the window seat. And carried on.

Loyalty during a crisis creates legends. And it works. Japan has some of the highest employee retention rates in the world. Companies bounce back faster. Culture stays intact. Trust endures.

It makes me wonder what we’re losing when we chase short-term gain over long-term value. When experience is seen as a cost, not an advantage. Because the world hasn’t run out of talent. It’s just misplacing it.

The good news? Experience isn’t gone - it’s available.

These days, senior people don’t have to sit by the window. They can drop in, roll up their sleeves, and deliver from day one.

We Are Acuity is an all-senior team with over 27 years in business. No onboarding. No fluff. Just experience where and when you need it.

If your team needs seasoned marketers and creatives who can slot in fast, steady the ship and deliver results without the hand-holding - give me a call.

Thanks to @income.ivy on Instagram for sparking this reflection.