AARP Announces Best Employers for Workers Over 50
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2007-09-25 14:35:08.850885-04:00
By 2012, nearly 20 percent of the total U.S. workforce will be age 55 or older, up from 12 percent in 1992. As the proportion of younger workers continues to decline, attracting and retaining mature, experienced workers will become increasingly critical for employers to gain a competitive advantage.
In 2007, AARP is recognizing 50 companies who have taken steps to retain and/or hire older workers through its Best Employers for Workers Over 50 program. These companies span industries across the U.S.
For example, some companies are in the industrial sector, others are in the service sector and still others are part of education, government or the not-for-profit sectors. The annual recognition program, established in 2001, acknowledges those companies and organizations whose best practices and policies for addressing aging workforce issues are roadmaps for the workplaces of tomorrow.
According to AARP's latest report, "AARP Profit from Experience: Perspectives of Employers, Workers, and Policymakers in the G7 Countries on the New Demographic Realities," all of the G7 countries (U.S., U.K., Canada, France, Italy, Germany, and Japan) are experiencing demographic shifts, with the population aging and the possibility of a large cohort of workers planning to retire in the not too distant future. The study shows that because of this shift we will have a global seller's market for talent, which is great for employees deciding where and how they want to work.
The study also found that those countries and companies that are investing the time today to understand the coming demographic challenges and which are laying the groundwork for recruiting the best and the brightest, are the countries and companies best positioning themselves to compete globally in the future. In New York State, AARP highlighted three companies for their efforts on behalf of mature workers.
Cornell University of Ithaca was recognized as an AARP Best Employer for the third straight year. Cornell retirees may enroll in or audit up to six credits of Cornell coursework per semester at no charge. In addition, retirees automatically become members of the Cornell Retirees Association, which provides work and social opportunities, acts as a liaison with the University on important retiree issues, and publishes a newsletter geared towards retirees. Employees over age 50 are offered pre-retirement training workshops, such as planning for eldercare, investing, or health and wellness topics.
Girl Scouts of Nassau County located in Garden City established an "Action Planning Team" and an "Idea Group" in an overall effort to enhance employees' quality of life by improving work/life balance. Both groups promoted the idea of formalizing flexible work options to meet this goal.
The YMCA of Greater Rochester was recognized as an AARP Best Employer for the third straight year. The YMCA of Greater Rochester offers flexible work options such as job sharing, part-time professional positions, and flexible work schedules to assist employees with balancing work and family life.
The YMCA's "Walk the Talk" initiative encourages employees to walk a minimum of 10,000 steps daily and participate in complimentary fitness classes. The YMCA distributes free pedometers, offers an online tracking tool to monitor progress, and awards bonus steps for making healthy food choices.
Find a complete list of the Best Employers online.
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