SHRM and AARP Announce 2013's Best Employers for Workers over 50

National Institutes of Health (NIH) has been announced as the top honoree in the 2013 search for the AARP Best Employers for Workers Over 50, cosponsored by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). The awards spotlight employers that have implemented programs that help retain, retrain, engage and recruit mature workers, and, among other things, NIH exemplifies the awards goals by providing generous health benefits and a “Fit Plus Program” that strongly supports the needs of employees 50 and over who are beginning or maintaining a fitness program. In addition, full-time employees are eligible to move to part-time work on a permanent or temporary basis.

Scripps Health of Southern California, the 2012 winner, and the 2013 runner-up, offers a number of alternative work arrangements, including a phased retirement program. Employees have an opportunity to gain new experience by working on temporary assignments in other departments, on team projects, and by having access to formal job rotation and mentoring programs. In addition, Scripps employees are able to take advantage of strong health benefits, and wellness-related benefits are used by more than two-thirds of the staff, including flu shots, health screenings, health risk appraisals, smoking cessation programs, health club discounts, physical activity and weight loss programs, on-site massages, and stress management training.

See AARP's website for a full list of the 50 winners, as well as links to descriptions of the employment practices and benefits that garnered their recognition.

Source: SHRM Press Release (June 17, 2013)

United Kingdom: Guide Published for Employing Older Workers

The United Kingdom's Department for Work and Pensions has published a guide for employers on today’s multi-generational workforce. "Employing Older Workers. An employer’s guide to today’s multi-generational workforce" is drawn from from employers who report clear business benefits from
effectively managing an ageing multi-generational workforce and provides answers to employer questions and offers non-bureaucratic solutions tried and tested by employers of various sectors and sizes.

It also addresses misconceptions about employing older workers concerning productivity, up-skilling, health and ‘blocking’ opportunities for younger workers. Many successful employers report the benefits of employing older workers as part of a multi-generational workforce include:

• a broader range of skills and experience;
• opportunities for mentoring new recruits;
• transfer of skills across the workforce;
• reduced staff turnover; and
• improved staff morale.

Source: TAEN News Release (February 19, 2013)

Study: Recommendations to Help Pittsburgh Deal with Critical Shortage of Younger Workers

The Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board (TRWIB) has released a report finding that Pittsburgh's workforce is aging faster than the national average and that it is facing a critical shortage of younger workers ready to move into jobs that will become available as a result of retirements in the workforce in the next 10 years. According to "Does Aging Matter? Workforce aging and its implication for collaborative talent management in the Pittsburgh region," a “disturbing scarcity of skills” for local jobs, especially in the areas of advanced manufacturing, education, healthcare, utilities and the trades, will leave the region without an adequate supply of younger workers with the skills to move into the jobs, and the expertise of older workers will be lost unless mentoring opportunities and programs are established.

While TRWIB proposes accelerating support of regional career, vocational training and technical centers to promote these careers, it also recognizes that reengaging older workers may help.

The size of the graying workforce presents a challenge to regional prosperity--especially if not utilized. Even if the business community can improve in managing an aging workforce, they cannot prevent layoffs or voluntary resignations of mature workers. As the cohort of older workers expands, we expect to see more displaced or transitioning talent in this age group.

Accordingly, on this front, TRWIB recommends:

• helping older unemployed workers navigate the labor market;
• developing effective job-seeking skills;
• use career coaching to help older workers to capitalize on their expertise and interests and to facilitate their transition into meaningful encore careers; and
• encourage self-employment and entrepreneurial opportunities by providing access to resources, training, and technical assistance for new
  entrepreneurs.

On the employer side, the report suggests:

• companies may need to reconsider recruitment strategies, find advertising channels and an image that appeal to
  mature workers;
• companies should learn to be more creative in generating
  opportunities for older workers who may be less productive due to a decrease of physical strength but have a substantial wealth of knowledge and skills developed within the company;
• flexible work arrangements, phased retirement, and other innovative models.

Source: Three Rivers Workforce Investment Board News Release (October 3, 2012)

Australia: IAG Chief Addresses Diversity, Harnessing Energy of Older Workers

Mike Wilkins, Managing Director and CEO, Insurance Australia Group (IAG), addressing the Australian Human Rights Commission, believes that while there are things government can do to help make employment a more viable option for older workers, business has the responsibility to help change community attitudes around older workers and to walk the talk.

In describing the diversity initiatives undertaken by IAG, Wilkins pointed out that "diversity is really about diversity of thought" even though "diversity of gender, ethnicity and age are positive lead indicators of a healthy organisation." To this end, IAG ran unconscious bias sessions with its leaders to help them recognize their thought process when they make employment decisions, so that, for example, one doesn't automatically assume that an older person may not have the technical nous required in a modern workplace.

In addition to regularly promoting and celebrating the achievements and long service milestones of its employees, IAG has an established range of policies, programs, and practices to respond to the demographic challenge, largely around the need for flexibility that older workers frequently want.

With respect to government initiatives, Wilkins endorsed efforts to reform the superannuation arrangements so as not to discourage people from remaining in or re-entering the workforce, suggested possible subsidies for older workers who want to take on mentoring roles and tax breaks to make it more appealing for older workers to re-enter the workforce, and applauded the Queensland and Western Australian governments for removing the age limit on their workers compensation schemes and recommended that all states and territories do the same.

Source: Insurance Australia Group Media Release (September 3, 2012)

Canada: Best Employers for Workers over 40

The Globe and Mail has announced its list of Top Employers for Canadians Over 40 for 2012, a group of organizations that are "taking care to keep talent in the house longer with programs and benefits designed for older workers."

The winners--Agriculture Financial Services Corporation, Agrium Inc., BMO Financial Group, Business Development Bank of Canada, Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Dalhousie University, Desjardins Group, EllisDon Corporation, Enbridge Inc., HP Advanced Solutions Inc., Manitoba Hydro, NB Power Holding Corporation, Office of the Auditor General of Canada, SaskTel, and University of Toronto--demonstrated their commitment to older workers through various practics:

stable pensions, particularly defined-benefit programs that have become increasingly rare over the past decade; targeted recruitment of older employees; health plans that extend into retirement with no age limit; opportunities for training and development; flexible working arrangements and time off; recognition of previous experience for vacation entitlements; retirement planning; and phased-in retirement working options and mentorship programs to ensure that skills are passed to younger workers.

At the Top Employers for Canadians Over 40 website, detailed information is provided about each of the employers.

Source: The Globe and Mail (April 3, 2012)

Flexibility Initiatives by Employers Can Benefit both Employers and Older Workers Research Finds

The Sloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College has published the results of research finding that workplace flexibility initiatives, when properly matched to employee needs can provide strategic benefits to older workers and their employers. In "Flex Strategies to Attract, Engage & Retain Older Workers," the Center presents corporate case studies across a variety of industry sectors that demonstrate the value of workplace flexibility’s ability to recruit, retain, and engage older workers.

The most common strategies used by the three organizations (Central Baptist Hospital, Marriott International and MITRE Corporation) surveyed were: offering part-time positions (42%), hiring retirees as consultants or temporary workers (40%), and offering flexible work arrangements for older workers (36%). According to the Center, the best, and most promising, flexibility practices are those that address managers’ concerns about such things as trust, losing control and coaching older workers.

Before providing a series of recommendations, the report offered the following conclusions:

For older workers—indeed, for employees in all age groups—having access to flexibility is predictive of greater employee engagement, less stress related to perceptions of work overload, better physical and mental health, and greater satisfaction with work/family balance. However, for maximum impact, flexibility must be the right fit for each employee. To accomplish this for older workers, the employers featured in this report offer a variety of options to customize when and where work is accomplished and how careers are organized.

Source: The Sloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College Publication News (March 28, 2012)

Sloan Center on Aging & Work Releases Innovative Practices Database

The Sloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College has announced that it has launched a searchable database of summaries of innovative practices from industry sectors such as health care, pharmaceutical, financial services, education and manufacturing. The Innovative Practice Database has been released with 26 summaries of organizational responses to the business challenges, innovative strategies and competitive solutions associated with multi-generational workforce issues.

The cases highlight employers’ strategic goals and programs that respond to today’s age diversity. The Sloan Center works with the participating employers to select focal areas of strategic value and current interest to businesses. In addition to launching the database, the Center is seeking to grow it by soliciting other organizations to provide it with examples of their own innovative practices.

The database can be browsed by case/organization or can be searched by word, staff size, United States or international, industry sector, business driver (such as business costs/ROI, employee engagement, and career development), and profit or non-profit.

Source: The Sloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College Announcement (March 26, 2012)

Australia: Chamber Encourages Employers to Hire Older Workers and Others "Outside the Box"

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has launched a campaign to encourage employers to hire "outside the box" when they next recruit. To bolster the workforce, the ACCI says Australia needs to increase participation amongst mature aged people, women with caring responsibilities, indigenous Australians, people with a disability, and from the unemployed including youth. According to ACCI Chief Executive Peter Anderson, "With ageing demographics, sluggish productivity and forecast skill shortages, industry needs to think laterally and long term when it comes to recruitment."

As part of its campaign, ACCI has released both "Employ Outside the Box: The rewards of a diverse workforce" and "The Business Case for Recruiting and Retaining Mature Age Workers." The latter is intended to be a practical guide presenting a business case as to an employer should consider employing "outside the box" when it comes to the next hire, with a specific focus on "a significant and often highly skilled and work ready group currently 'outside the box'"--mature aged workers.

There are varying definitions of a mature aged worker, some use 45+ others 50+, with an extension of range to beyond 75 years. There are, of course, differences in approach needed for each age group as their needs may differ.

With this guide, we have tried to concentrate on the common issues. Issues that confront particularly the more senior mature aged workers includes elements of health, retirement, stage of life, impending lifestyle changes &
experience.

Among other things, the guide offers separate, multi-step advice to employers on (1) getting started by developing a strategy to recruit and retain mature aged workers, (2) keeping mature age workers that an employer already has, and (3) recruiting mature age workers. In addition, the guide offers good practices in age management, including:

Good practices should include appropriate retention and recruitment strategies to cover those who have left the workforce as well as offering attractive roles and working conditions for employees who might otherwise consider retirement.

Emphasis is placed on flexibility of workplace conditions and suitable jobs as attractors for employees (noting increased opportunities for mentoring and training roles). Retention of experience should be a prime driver.

Good practice also comprises combating age barriers & providing an environment in which each individual is able to work towards achieving his/her potential without being disadvantaged by their age.

Other key components are job recruitment and exit, training and development, suitable ergonomics and job design and positive attitudes towards mature aged workers.

Source: Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Media Release (March 20, 2012)

United Kingdom: Major HR Group Issues Guide for Managing Older Workers

The UK's Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has practical guidance designed to help employers respond successfully to the talent management challenges and opportunities they will face over the early decades of the 21st century. According to CIPD, the guide--"Managing a healthy ageing workforce: A national business imperative"--should help employers to use older workers to fill the coming gap between the estimated 13.5 million jobs that will be created over the next 10 years and the only 7 million young people available to fill them by revisiting their workforce planning strategies to accommodate this major change.

In particular, CIPD suggests that HR should take the lead on this issue and work in partnership with line managers and senior colleagues to secure the best results. Dianah Worman, the CIPD’s diversity adviser, said:

Organisations that respond appropriately to the challenges of an ageing workforce will gain a significant competitive edge, both in terms of recruiting and retaining talent, but also through supporting the well-being and engagement of employees of all ages.

CIPD worked with the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives (SCHWL) at NHS Health Scotland to produce the new guide. It provides practical and simple guidance to help slow starters catch up and for those already engaged with the agenda to improve the way they respond to it. Basically, it takes an organization through a three-step process:

• building the business case,
• addressing the myths, and
• talent management.

Source: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development News Release (March 8, 2012)

Hospitality Industry: Guide Issued for UK Employers To Retain and Recruit Older Workers

The Institute of Hospitality has issued an official knowledge pack--available to both non-members and members--designed for hospitality sector stakeholders to understand and explain the benefits of older (50+) worker recruitment and retention. Issued as part of the Institute's ongoing campaign to raise awareness of age diversity in the workplace, "The case for recruiting and retaining older workers: a business imperative for the Hospitality sector" has been produced by Capita Consulting on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions, and presents the business rationale for continuing to promote and support ongoing activity on the older worker agenda.

Among other things, the guide:

• Highlights forthcoming demographic changes and the impact that these will have on both customers and employment patterns in the hospitality sector.
• Identifies barriers to older worker participation in the hospitality industry.
• Demonstrates how an older workforce can help address sector challenges (e.g. around skills shortages and poor customer service) via research, case studies and employer stories.
• Provides links to generic and sector specific good practice management guides/articles and information that can be adapted and disseminated to hospitality sector employers.

Source: Institute of Hospitality News Release (January 2012)

Case Study: Six Major US Employers and Age Diversity

The Sloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College has released a report examining the evolution of age diversity strategies within six major U.S. employers finding, among other things, that while U.S. employers tend to have formal diversity programs at their workplace, age diversity isn't always a clearly defined element, nor is it effectively communicated. In "Age: A 21st Century Diversity Imperative," the report looks at Cornell University, Dell, GlaxoSmithKline, Marriott, MITRE and Wells Fargo, each of which shared a promising practice along with its business case, implementation steps, metrics of success and future outlook.

The report also found that the approach to age diversity is evolving within organizations: from a compliance-only focus, to an older worker and then multigenerational approach, to an integrated age management strategy. Even in organizations that have implemented age-related initiatives focused on younger or older workers, the internal strategic focus is on the four generations in the workplace--veterans (born before 1946), boomers, Gen Y, and the up and coming Gen 2020 (born after 2000--and enhancing intergenerational relationships.

The practices examined included:

• a program for retirees enabling
  project work, consulting, volunteerism and website resources.
• a toolkit to better equip managers with the resources needed to successfully lead multigenerational teams.
• employee resource groups for boomers and young professionals

Source: Sloan Center on Aging & Work at Boston College Publication Archive (September 2011)

AARP Announces 15 Best International Employers of Workers Over 50

AARP has released its 2011 list of the 15 companies and organizations globally that have the most positive workplace policies for their older workers. The list includes winners from Australia, Austria, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Singapore and the United Kingdom and includes four employers that have won before.

Among the practices cited by AARP as worthy of recognition were:

• promoting older workers through a training camp designed to help older job applicants and the long-term unemployed re-enter the workforce (DB Services; Germany)
• designating older workers in each function as subject matter experts; their role as facilitators and trainers has helped raise the profile of older workers and contributed to a culture shift in the organization (Lam Soon Edible Oils Sdn Bhd; Malaysia)
• offering a partial retirement scheme that allows older workers to draw company pension benefits while continuing to work part-time (Marks and Spencer plc; United K
  

Source: AARP News Release (September 7, 2011)

Multi-generational Workplace: Managing the Technology Gap

CIO Inisght has published a series of articles showing employers how, through a combination of policies, programs and tools, it’s possible to bridge the technology generation gap and engage all employees and build a robust and motivated workforce. In them, Samuel Greengard notes that attitudes across generations differ greatly, and cites an Accenture technology strategist saying younger workers are thumbing their noses at IT policies, using nonstandard applications and "improving" things whenever and wherever they deem it necessary.

Greengard's recommendations for organizations to address multi-generational challenges are:

1. Develop a well-reasoned and balanced technology policy and ensure that employees read and understand it.
2. Provide training to workers--particularly older employees who may be well-versed in using email and Web tools, but are lagging in areas such as social media and crowdsourcing.
3. Rethink security and threat management. In this regard, forward looking organizations focus heavily on endpoint security and a more holistic protection model.

In addition, separate articles present:

• a list of five ways to narrow the age gap;
• a case study at UNISYS about bringing one's own device, and
• connecting a multi-generation workforce at a Canadian construction company.

Source: CIO Insight "Managing a Multigenerational Workforce" (June 30, 2011)

EEOC Hears Testimony on Impact of Recession and Age Discrimination on Older Worrkers

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) held a meeting at which various experts testified that age discrimination is causing the nation’s older workers to have a difficult time maintaining and finding new employment, a problem exacerbated by the downturn in the economy. The hearing was conducted at a time in which the number and percentage of age discrimination charges filed with the EEOC have grown, rising from 16,548 charges--21.8% of all charges--filed in fiscal year 2006, to 22,778--24.4% of all charges--in fiscal year 2009.

In the leadoff testimony, Dr. William Spriggs, Assistant Secretary for Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, testified that the rate of unemployment for people age 55 and over "rose from a pre-recession low of 3.0 percent (November 2007) to reach 7.3% in August, 2010, making the past 22 months the longest spell of high unemployment workers in this age group have experienced in 60 years." Older workers also spend far more time searching for work and are jobless for far longer periods of time compared to workers under 55.

In addition, the EEOC heard testimony on legal issues from Mary Anne Sedey, Partner, Sedey Harper P.C., Michael Foreman, Clinical Professor, Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law, and R. Scott Oswald, Principal, The Employment Law Group. This was followed by testimony on employer best practices from Deborah Russell, Director, Workforce Issues, American Association of Retired Persons and Cornelia Gamlem, President, GEMS Group and Society for Human Resource Management. Among other things, Gamlem highlighted strategies to create discrimination-free workplaces that recognize the value of older workers; programs, such as flexible work arrangements, that enable employees to work longer if they choose to do so; and ways to implement reductions-in-force to avoid inadvertent age-based discrimination.

"Hard working men and women should never be harassed at work or forced out of their jobs on account of their age,” said EEOC Chair Jacqueline A. Berrien. “The testimony we heard today also sheds light on some of the unique challenges faced by older job seekers and will be invaluable as the Commission works to strengthen its enforcement of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act."

"The treatment of older workers is a matter of grave concern for the Commission,” said EEOC Commissioner Stuart J. Ishimaru. “We must be vigilant that employers do not use the current economy as an excuse for discrimination against older workers.'

Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Press Release (November 17, 2010)

New Book on Managing the Older Worker

According to a review in the magazineCanadian Business by Jasmine Budak, Peter Cappelli and Bill Novelli, in their new book Managing the Older Worker: How to Prepare for the New Organizational Order, make the case that "as life expectancies rise, more and more managers will be supervising people twice their age, starting with the already–lingering baby boomers."

Among other things, the authors "urge employers to acknowledge both the value of older employees (for training, mentoring and their corporate knowledge) and their workplace needs (flexibility, respect)." Employers will need to make bridges over the generational gap or face a looming labor shortage. "If you ignore [boomers]," says Novelli, "you're ignoring a third of the workforce."

Source: Canadian Business Magazine "How to manage an aging workforce" (Oct. 11, 2010)

Best Practices: Integrating Generations In IT Department

Writing in CIO Insight, Don Reisinger has provided a set of practical recommendations for encourage all employees to buy into the technology strategies and process changes you have implemented--including older workers are having trouble adjusting to this new normal, and that adjustment process is probably cutting into corporate productivity. He suggests strategies that can help an IT department make older workers more comfortable with new technologies, new processes, and agile thinking.

Among other things, he encourages adoption of connected technologies, including Blackberries, Facebook, and text messaging, even if older workers are reluctant. On the other hand, however, he suggests sticking to Windows platforms that older workers may be more comfortable with. Most importantly, he says to bring in the hard data:

Prove that new processes and technologies are helping the company. Older employees want to see the organization succeed. Given proof that new solutions are working, they will be far more likely to go along with these.

Source: CIO Insight "Strategic Tech Slideshow:
Help Your Employees Leverage Technology" (September 6, 2010)

Case Study: BMW and Equipping the Factory for Older Workers

In "The Globe: How BMW Is Defusing the Demographic Time Bomb" from the March 2010 issue of Harvard Business Review, the authors looked at how BMW responded to what looked like an inevitable decline in the productivity of an aging workforce in the years ahead with an innovative, bottom-up approach for improving productivity. Subsequently, BMW has garnered more publicity for their efforts.

Rather than forcing its aging workers to retire, or even fire them, BMW management tinkered with one assembly line in one division of a huge auto plant, and turned it older overnight, staffing it so that the average age of workers would be 47 (what it's projected to be seven years from now). Then, in responses to asking the workers how to make things better, the company says it made 70 small changes in the workplace, to cut the chance of errors and reduce physical strain.

When workers said their feet hurt, the company made them special shoes, and put in wooden floors. Some got a place to sit: a hairdresser's chair, modified for the assembly line.

Rudolph Mohr, 56, has been working here for 35 years. He finally got a chance to stretch - right on the factory floor. "When I go home, I have more energy," Mohr said.

Some tools were improved, and new computer screens were introduced, with bigger type.

The direct investment in the 2017 line project was almost negligible, approximately €20,000. But the 70 changes increased productivity by 7% in one year, bringing the line on a par with lines in which workers were, on average, younger.

Source: CBS News "How BMW Deals With an Aging Workforce" (September 5, 2010)

Additional sources: BBC "A Factory Fit for an Aging Workforce"

United Kingdom: Age Guide for Employers in Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies

SEMTA, the Sector Skills Council for science, engineering and manufacturing technologies, has produced a booklet in collaboration with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to guide and advise manufacturing organizations on how to comply with age discrimination regulation as well as how to ensure an age diverse workforce that will nurture future growth.

The booklet ("Age isn't an issue) provides guidance on a range of workforce issues including recruitment, development, flexible working, and retirement. Among other things, the guide encourages not only equality for job applications and opportunities within the workplace but also encourages employers to be even handed in the way they make vocational training, flexible working, and continuous professional development available.

Source: Manufacturing News "Aging workforce problems" (July 6, 2010)

Related Matter: Satellite Today "U.S. Satellite Industry Addresses its Aging Workforce Issues" (July 6, 2010)

AARP Announces 2009 Best Employers for Workers over 50

AARP has announced its annual list of the 50 best employers in the United States for workers 50 and over, and, for the first time one employer--Cornell University--has repeasted as the top finisher.

“AARP is delighted that Cornell has placed first for the second year in a row in the Best Employers program,” said Deborah Russell, AARP’s Director of Workforce Issues. “The university is famed for its creative academic policies and its approach to 50 and over workers is no different. It has continued to innovate with new programs in the past year.”

Among the programs offered by Cornell, noted AARP, are a formal phased retirement program for faculty and staff, telecommuting and compressed work weeks, a retiree health and prescription drug plan heavily subsidized by the university, paid time off for care giving, and access for retirees to continued university education at no charge.

At AARP's Best Employers site, AARP has published its list of the top 10 innovative international employers and, for the first time, a separate hospitals and health care best employers honor roll.

Source: AARP Press Release (September 9, 2009)

United Kingdom: NHS Employers Puts Forth Best Practices for Older Workers

In conjunction with the Channel 4's broadcast of "Too Old To Work," NHS Employers has emphasized the importance of demonstrating new and imaginative approaches to age diversity in the workforce in light of the demographic challenge it faces.

NHS Employers states that there is clear evidence that both staff turnover and absenteeism are reduced and that motivation and commitment are improved in organisations employing people of all ages. In particular, as a result of the NHS Employers age diversity work programme, 78% of NHS organisations had workforce policies for age in place in 2007, either as part of wider equal opportunities policies or specifically on age diversity.

NHS Employers knows that the NHS is working hard to address the issue of age discrimination and has a key role in highlighting good practice case studies among NHS organisations. One good practice case study is Sheffield PCT.

Chris Stocks, Head of Human Resources, Sheffield PCT, said:

"After we'd fully assessed the legislation, the Board - fully supported by the trade unions - agreed to do away with the default retirement age of 65 and give employees the choice of working longer if they so wanted.

"We then wrote out to staff and briefed managers on the reasons and practical implications. The move has been well received by staff."

NHS Employer resources include information on the business case for utilizing older workers and anonymised examples of good practice in the NHS.

Source: NHS Employers Press Release (February 10, 2009)