How the AARP Employer Alliance Helps Older Workers

The program helps businesses build opportunity for workers of all ages

Matt Swenson,

AARP

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Published February 18, 2026

AARP (Getty Images)

With the pool of available workers changing rapidly in the United States, employers can ill afford to overlook the contributions workers from all age groups can deliver.

But many workers who are 50 and older worry that their age outweighs their ability when employers make decisions about whom to hire, promote or otherwise provide opportunities to. According to AARP research, 90 percent of workers age 50-plus believe that age discrimination against older workers is common. Moreover, 64 percent of older workers have witnessed or experienced age discrimination firsthand.

To help companies see the value of older workers in a multigenerational workplace, AARP this week is launching the AARP Employer Alliance. The program’s goal is to help organizations build workplaces where employees of all ages thrive and work together to drive engagement, productivity and innovation, says Heather Tinsley-Fix, senior adviser of employer engagement at AARP.

“Smart organizations know that the current and future workforce is multigenerational, and will remain that way for a long time,” says Tinsley-Fix.

The evolution of employer outreach

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The Employer Alliance marks the next phase of AARP’s continuing efforts to support older workers. It builds upon the Employer Pledge Program, which included more than 3,000 companies over a 13-year period that has now ended. Employers who signed the pledge committed to developing age-diverse workplaces and affirmed the value of experienced workers.

Through the Employer Alliance, AARP is seeking to provide more actionable opportunities for companies and organizations to retain existing talent and hire experienced employees looking for a fresh start.

At the same time, nearly one-quarter (24 percent) of older workers are concerned about losing their job within the next year, according to AARP research. Adding to the concern, AARP research shows that more than two-thirds (67 percent) of older workers believe it would be difficult to find a new job right now.

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Those numbers suggest there are opportunities for organizations to capitalize on older populations that typically demonstrate strong engagement and productivity in their jobs, said Tinsley-Fix. “Older workers are an important part of the labor market — not just for hiring but for retention and knowledge transfer,” she says.

Two tiers of the AARP Employer Alliance

The Employer Alliance has two paths for employers that want to join. Both options are free.

Tier 1: The first tier is education-based, providing organizations that are ready to assess current practices the opportunity to expand understanding of the multigenerational workforce through webinars, networking events and more.

Tier 2: Companies that are already using methods to engage older workers of all ages or that are ready to implement improvements to their workplace culture can opt for Tier 2. In addition to educational resources, AARP provides Tier 2 participants coaching support, recognition of their practices and registration for the annual in-person Employer Summit at AARP’s Washington, D.C., headquarters. It’s intended for larger organizations with at least 100 employees.

Industries that demonstrate some of the strongest interest in recruiting and retaining older workers include retail, hospitality, health care and transportation, according to an AARP trends report. Participation in the Employer Alliance program could serve as a strong resource for organizations seeking to employ older workers, notes Tinsley-Fix.

Benefits of an age-inclusive culture

There are several ways to make older workers feel welcome with a company, an important topic in the U.S. and abroad. Options include, but are not limited to, developing active mentor-mentee relationships in the office, providing strong health management programs and offering retirement pathways that address financial fears, notes an international study on age-inclusive practices published in 2024 by the European Union.

Organizations that build age-inclusive cultures are likely to enjoy benefits, including lower employee turnover and retaining institutional knowledge that’s valuable to maintaining standards and traditions. “Turnover is costly,” says Tinsley-Fix. “Workers over 50 tend to stabilize churn. That’s strong bang for your buck.”

One AARP report found that age discrimination costs the United States an additional $850 billion to the GDP. This figure is projected to balloon to $3.9 trillion in 2050. Bias also keeps skilled, qualified and eager workers sidelined, the study stated.

An able and willing workforce

The value of older workers might become more apparent in the coming years as the effects of Americans having fewer children are felt in the workforce. Even with globalization of the workforce, reliance on immigrant workers and efficiencies created by technology, organizations should not sit idly as the talent pool ebbs, says Tinsley-Fix.

Many older adults stand ready to fill employers’ needs, if provided the opportunities. Recent AARP research finds that 7 percent of retirees have “unretired,” or reentered the labor force. Forty-eight percent said their primary reason for returning to work is to make money. Of those 50-plus individuals working or seeking employment, 41 percent said their main motivation is to afford everyday living costs. Another 14 percent expressed an interest in staying active.

As a testament to their strong motivation to work, older workers are demonstrating the willingness and ability to adapt to workflows with greater dependence on technology. A report from LinkedIn and AARP found that the number of workers age 50 and over who listed technologies like AI in their job skills increased by 25 percent, nearly double the growth rate for younger workers.

Tinsley-Fix stresses that now is the time for action: “The workforce is shrinking. We need everybody, and we need workplaces where all generations thrive,” she says. .

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