In partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), AARP created the Living, Learning and Earning Longer collaborative to identify multigenerational workforce practices.
The effort is aimed at refining the best practices for an age diverse workplace, with a focus on recruitment and retention practices.
Debra Whitman, AARP’s Chief Public Policy Officer, said that organizations can benefit from supporting older workers as research has found that workers ages 50 and over are the most engaged in their jobs.
“Changing demographics are creating a workplace that is more age-diverse than ever before,” said Whitman. “From post-millennials to baby boomers, more and more generations are working side by side. Employers who take the right steps can leverage the multigenerational workforce as a key to success.”
Additionally, several companies have found that an age-diverse workplace helps boost their bottom line. Older workers also say that they appreciate the input of their young, technologically-fluent counterparts, while younger workers find value in older workers’ wisdom and experience.
According to Whitman, an age-inclusive culture means having a work environment that nurtures mutual respect and equity for all generations. This includes work-related training for older employees rather than hiring new people.
