Jena-Optronik, GmbH

One result of these analyses was the purchasing of ergonomically designed office furniture to help accommodate employees' individual medical issues.

The company pays for and regularly offers eyesight exams for employees. The exams are conducted at the company's headquarters so employees do not have to consult external medical organizations.

Diversity Promotion: Jena-Optronik tries to create mixed teams with a balanced age structure. This leads to mutual knowledge transfers between older and younger workers.

In early 2011, the company launched a new project entitled Team Building, which aims to increase the team spirit of older and younger workers. The program is designed to promote a positive work atmosphere as well as promote efficiency among the teams.

A new information system was also put in place to inform employees of company related issues. Information is dispersed via monitors in the hallways of the company.

Partnership programs are available for new employees. Mentors are available to answer questions concerning the company, the corporate culture and the work relationship. New employees are thus quickly integrated and made to feel welcome at Jena-Optronik.

Recruitment: Jena-Optronik believes that intergenerational solidarity is key to success in the workplace and so expressly forbids any form of age discrimination. The company works to create a respectful environment with open lines of communication.

The company relies on multi-generational teams to create the basis for quality and innovation. To promote intergenerational relationships, Jena-Optronik launched a course entitled Master of Engineering in Space Electronics in cooperation with the University of Applied Science. Older employees at the company give lectures throughout the course of study based on their personal working experiences.

Miscellaneous: With the number of older workers quickly increasing at Jena-Optronik, the company launched the program "55plus" to help share older workers' knowledge and experience with younger workers.

A two-day voluntary workshop served as the program kickoff and nearly two-thirds of staff age 55 and over attended. Several topics relevant to older workers were discussed including increasing awareness of life changes, strengthening the self-confidence of older people, supporting intergenerational knowledge transfers and creating age-friendly working conditions.

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