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Lifetime Education and Renewal Network |
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Winter 2008
Learning on the Job Sustains Working
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What strategies do you recommend for managers supervising older workers or hiring retirees back into the workplace?
With the changing demographics in the workforce, managers will need to be equipped to work with increasing numbers of older employees, some who may be older than their parents. Employers should keep the value of older workers in mind, particularly the knowledge they have. Managers should know about the types of programs and benefits that will attract and retain older workers, such as flex time and phased retirement. If managers do not buy into these ideas and are not trained in their implementation, they are unlikely to succeed.
What training or learning challenges do older workers present to organizations?
Employers would be advised to put mentoring programs in place to assure that the valuable knowledge of experienced employees will be transferred to the next generation before their retirement. This will be especially critical for companies with specialized or highly technical responsibilities. However, teaching someone how to do one’s job is not a natural talent, and training takes time. Mentoring relationships should be developed, and managers should recognize that different workers will have different teaching and learning styles. Some older workers fear that if they train someone else they will be out of a job. Employers need to be able to address these fears honestly and realistically.
When companies bring retirees back to the workplace, do they perceive themselves as responsible for retraining, or do they expect returning workers to seek it on their own?
BONUS RESOURCES |
| ASA’s Business Forum on Aging MetLife Mature Market Institute |
FURTHER READING |
50-Plus: Igniting a Revolution to Reinvent America by Bill Novelli (New York City: St. Martin’s Press, 2006); hardback, 256 pages; $24.95. Buy the Book. |
Employers should have the same expectation of an older worker returning to a position that they would have of a younger one. Employers cannot assume that returning retirees do not need orientation and training in current policies and procedures, the latest technology and the practices of a new department or role.
What changes in workplace training are being implemented as a result of current educational research?
While technology may be a challenge for some, it has permitted companies to institute online learning programs to allow workers to develop in their own time, at their own pace and in a style that works best for them. Self-paced learning works especially well with older adults. Web-based programs typically provide visuals and invite listening or reading for completion of modules. And, they often feature testing, review and retesting options to reinforce what is learned.
In his book 50-Plus: Igniting a Revolution to Reinvent America, Bill Novelli cites one company that holds all employees accountable for improving knowledge and skills, thus circumventing ageist overtones. Is that a viable standard for all organizations?
An age-agnostic employer learning program, as well as an age-agnostic performance evaluation system, works to the advantage of workers of all ages, especially older adults. In the past, employers may have given subtle and unconscious signals that it was not worthwhile for older workers to take advantage of training because they would be retiring anyway. This attitude created inequities in the workplace as younger workers moved ahead and older workers languished. Now, as employers are more aware of the demographics of a multigenerational workforce, they will be looking for high-quality performance and motivated employees who want to continually update their skills, regardless of age.
Christina Butler is a consultant in the design of learning activities for older adults through her company, Over60Learning, in Columbus, Ohio.
Photo: Courtesy MetLife Mature Market Institute