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Organizational Strategies forAttracting, Utilizing, and Retaining Older Workers O rganizations are largely unprepared for the challenges that an aging workforce will bring. In preceding chapters we detailed the demographic forces at work, the social and organizational implications of those forces, and the population that will soon take center stage in the workforce-aging baby boomers. In this chapter and the next, we offer some solutions for organizations that wish to prepare for this new world of work.Meeting these impending challenges is not simply an issue for employers. Such sweeping change will envelop not only employers, but government (e.g., in relation to policies); unions; and, of course, workers themselves. This chapter and the next offer a broad base of solutions that touch all parties in the employment relationship. It must be said at the outset, however, that solutions to many issues surrounding the aging workforce are not yet clear. Society, business, and science have been slow to react, but the urgency of the situation will soon be felt, as a predominant "culture of aging" quickly comes to the fore from the same group that so impacted the United States with the "culture of youth" in the 1960s and 1970s (Novell!, 2002).In this chapter we first discuss some basic organizational requirements that must be in place for an organization to fully utilize the talents of older workers and be sensitive to their needs. These include a strong commitment from top management, efforts to actively combat age-based stereotypes and age norms, 115

The Graying of the Workforce T he world's population is aging rapidly. In 2004, over 10% of the global population of 6.1 billion was at least 60 years old. Recent projections suggest that by 2050 this figure will climb to 20% and that those age 60 and over will outnumber children age 14 and younger. Similar trends can be seen in the U.S. population. In 1860, half of the population was under 20 years of age; half of the population was still under the age of 30 in 1950. In 2000, Americans age 65 years or older numbered 35.0 million, an increase of 3.7 million (or 12%) in just 10 years.The U.S. population will continue to age in the future (see Figure 1.1). This trend, like many trends in the latter half of the 20th century, will be fueled by the large population cohort known as the baby boom generation (those born between 1946 and 1964). Even more rapid growth will occur between the years 2010 and 2030, when this cohort reaches age 65. By 2030, it is expected that there will be about 70 million older persons in the United States, more than twice their number in 2000. Thus, people age 65 years old and older will make up 20% of the population by 2030 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging, 2001). Preston and Martin (1994) have suggested that the rapidly aging population of the United States represents "one of the most important social phenomena of the next half century" (p. 3). They argued that eligibility for most major entitlement programs is tied

Age Stereotyping and Age DiscriminationA ge prejudice is one of the most socially accepted forms of prejudice in America today. According to Sheppard and Rix (1977), discrimination against older people is more ingrained in American minds than is sexism or racism. Whereas most responsible people and organizations now accept that race and gender cannot be used to judge occupational fitness, the movement to ignore age when making such judgments is only just beginning. Myths of aging are prevalent in our popular and professional literature, print and sound media, on Web pages, in conversations, and in jokes, and they subtly shape social, health, and work experiences (Nelson, 2002). Collectively, these aging myths create an image of aging and being old that is biased and damaging to the careers and well-being of older persons. Thornton (2002) suggested that the current myths stigmatizing aging and older people involve general perceptions that include being unhealthy, senile, lonely, grouchy, sexless, lacking vitality, and unable to learn or change.Myths of aging are also found in a work organization's culture and are often reinforced by its policies and procedures. These myths influence the attitudes of others toward "older people." Unfortunately, older persons' perceptions and expectations of aging are also shaped by these myths, which potentially makes these myths a self-fulfilling prophecy. Rosen and Jerdee (1985) noted that in a business context, decisions based on race, sex, or 27

A Look Back and a Look Toward the Future T he world of work continues to change and evolve, promising that the human resource (HR) landscape of tomorrow will be vastly different and ever more challenging. Demographic trends, in particular, require a rethinking of employment and retirement policies to better meet the needs of older workers. Given the centrality that work holds for most individuals, these changing occupational trends and retirement patterns-and changing motivations and capabilities of workers as they age-suggest that the aging workforce will have an important impact on the world of work.Age discrimination continues to be pervasive in the American workplace. It is beyond question that ageism can play a particularly harmful role in organizations. Older workers face widely held societal stereotypes that are detrimental to morale and productivity. Although adherence to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) is necessary to avoid costly lawsuits, a commitment to the law is insufficient to ensure the sort of changes to the corporate culture that will lead to optimal use of an aging workforce. Management must also be committed to the principle behind the law that each person ought to be judged on individual merit and to be provided with equal opportunity to make the best contribution to the workplace.Workers in middle and later career and life stages represent a relatively untapped resource in the U.S. workforce. The use of older workers can help organizations meet their growing and 155