'Age friendly' workplaces on the rise
Most baby boomers say they plan to stay in the workforce longer, and employment experts emphasize a need to create an enviroment free from age bias.
from the May 7, 2007 edition
Page 2 of 3
A chance to rejuvenate career
Employees benefit, too, Mr. Rich says. "The types of assignments we offer allow them to rejuvenate their careers. There exist a lot of new learning opportunities for these folks."
What makes businesses age-friendly?
"Employers make sure that in their hiring practices they treat people who are beyond 50 as they would treat anybody," says Patrick Rafter of RetirementJobs.com. They offer part-time, seasonal, and contract jobs, and they allow healthcare benefits for part-time employees.
In addition, they realize that some people "want to do something different with the company, and want new challenges," says William Byham, author of "70: The New 50."
Employers also need to understand how older and younger workers "can support each other and come together for mutual benefit," says Mr. Freedman. "And they need to understand that older people may be extremely innovative."
Connie Lennick, a human resources director at Staples, the office-products chain, characterizes an age-friendly workplace as "a respectful environment, dynamic and engaging."
Last year, Staples began reaching out to attract workers 50 and above. Research shows that these employees are often more interested in customer interaction and enjoy it more than younger workers do, says Ms. Lennick. Having a higher percentage of older workers correlates strongly to higher customer satisfaction.
"We get a lot of great comments from our customers, saying they're getting great customer service," she says.
Some of that attentive service comes from Carol Demirdjian, who has worked in the copy center at a Staples store in Brighton, Mass., for seven years.
"I love the customers," says Ms. Demirdjian, who is in her early 60s. "I also love the challenge of learning new things. In the beginning, all we did was run a few copies from a copy machine. Now it's gotten a lot more involved. We have four or five bindings, and we copy digitally from a computer."
Next month, Staples will implement a program to help managers understand the differences between generations.
Other initiatives to encourage age-friendly workplaces include AARP's annual list of the Best Employers for Workers Over 50. In addition, RetirementJobs.com has just launched a program identifying companies whose policies and practices provide meaningful employment, opportunities for development, and competitive pay and benefits. Those already certified as "age-friendly" include Marriott, Staples, H&R Block, and REI.
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