Managing The Older Worker

"Older workers are a tremendous resource for employers, but they are having great difficulty being accepted back into organizations. The main constant is conflicts and misunderstandings with young managers. To oversimplify, younger managers don't know how to manage older workers - and older workers don't know how to get what they need from younger managers ... We describe the opportunities that the rapidly expanding older workforce offers employers; the challenges that at present stand in the way of engaging these workers, particularly with their younger managers; and specific strategies and practices for younger managers to manage more effectively their older workers." - preface.

Older employees are often seen as an obstacle and not as an opportunity for companies, especially regarding the transfer of knowledge and experience. Effective development and utilization of older professional and managerial employees is an important issue as most organizations are not prepared to tailor their training methods to the needs and preferences of these employees due to negative stereotypes. Managing a rapidly aging workforce and sustaining economic dynamism calls for systematic research to prevent age discrimination due to an incomplete knowledge of older workers and politically challenging policy choices that require strong political commitments, robust management leadership, and social consensus. International Perspectives and Strategies for Managing an Aging Workforce examines the differences in stereotypes of older employees compared to younger employees in companies; analyzes the impact of the aging workforce on retention, productivity, and well-being; and investigates organizational systems, processes, and practices for managing older workers. Covering a range of topics such as retention and retirement, this reference work is ideal for researchers, academicians, practitioners, business owners, managers, human resource workers, instructors, and students.

The Canadian population is aging, bringing with it an increasing number of social and economic challenges. With the aging of the workforce, the reconceptualization of older workers and retirement, the increasing share of women in the labour force, the elimination of mandatory retirement, the fluctuating economy, and the changes to the pension system, barriers to employment for older workers, such as ageism, need to be of central concern. Ageism at Work examines the subjective experiences of older workers in Canada and explores how they negotiate ageism and manage their interactions in the employment setting. Further, this book looks at the intersection between age and gender and the pervasiveness of gendered ageism in the labour market. Finally, this book examines employers’ attitudes towards older workers quantitatively, while also exploring their first-hand accounts about them through qualitative inquiry. Understanding how ageism plays out in the labour market, how it intersects with sexism, and its consequences on a personal level are critical to moving the discussion on discrimination and human rights forward in Canada.

Presents model programs used to redesign jobs, create opportunities for part-time work, and keep workers age fifty and over productively on the job. Provides a career planning model for assessing the interests and skills of older employees and facilitating successful career changes.E

While many employers have traditionally viewed their younger employees as their most precious assets, the truth is that their more seasoned workers are often their most valuable. Written by experts in the field of workforce education and the management of older workers, Working Longer gives recruiters, managers, and trainers the tools they need to nurture and empower these vital employees, such as: * creative strategies for recruiting retirees and developing a senior friendly workplace* career and performance management techniques for effectively motivating and engaging older workers* instructional design facilitation methods that will enable older workers to upgrade their skills.With compassion and wisdom, this is the only book that shows employers how to value, coach, and keep their most experienced people

Mirroring a worldwide phenomenon in industrialized nations, the U.S. is experiencing a change in its demographic structure known as population aging. Concern about the aging population tends to focus on the adequacy of Medicare and Social Security, retirement of older Americans, and the need to identify policies, programs, and strategies that address the health and safety needs of older workers. Older workers differ from their younger counterparts in a variety of physical, psychological, and social factors. Evaluating the extent, causes, and effects of these factors and improving the research and data systems necessary to address the health and safety needs of older workers may significantly impact both their ability to remain in the workforce and their well being in retirement. Health and Safety Needs of Older Workers provides an image of what is currently known about the health and safety needs of older workers and the research needed to encourage social polices that guarantee older workers a meaningful share of the nation's work opportunities.

This open access book makes a contribution to our understanding of one of the social challenges facing many western nations i.e. the challenge of an ageing population. It specifically addresses the issue of competence among older employees. Others have studied ageing populations in terms of the economic burden or the pressure on healthcare services and generally view the rising numbers of seniors more as a challenge than an opportunity. In this book, authors discuss ways of gaining positive benefits from our ageing and more experienced work force.

Your organization needs older workers more than ever: They transfer knowledge between generations, transmit your company's values to new hires, make excellent mentors for younger employees, and provide a "just in time" workforce for special projects. Yet more of these workers are reporting to people younger than they are. This presents unfamiliar challenges that--if ignored--can prevent you from attracting, retaining, and engaging older employees. In Managing the Older Worker, Peter Cappelli and William Novelli explain how companies and younger managers can maximize the value provided by older workers. The key? Recognize that boomers' needs differ from younger generations - and adapt your management practices accordingly. For instance: · Lead with mission: As employees age, they become more altruistic. Emphasize the positive impact of older workers' efforts on the world around them. · Forge social connections: Many older employees keep working to maintain social relationships. Offer tasks that require interaction with others. · Provide different benefits: Tailor benefits--such as elder-care insurance programs or discount medication--to older workers' interests. Drawing on research in management, psychology, and other disciplines, Managing the Older Worker reveals who your older workers are, what they want, and how to manage them for maximum value.