Recently we began to explore ways to keep older workers engaged so they are more likely to stay at your company. Today we’ll explore a few more tips for keeping them engaged, including reduced schedules, additional training, and reducing age discrimination.
- Besides flexible scheduling noted above, a further reduced schedule could also be implemented as a way to ease the transition to retirement once the individual is ready. Of course, it’s important not to push someone into such an arrangement, but offering it as a benefit could encourage more experienced workers to stay with their current employer if they know they will have an option to make an easy transition to fewer working hours later.
- Conduct employee engagement surveys to see what types of benefits or changes to the working environment employees would value.
- Provide additional training sessions to help employees understand any new technologies that are utilized in the workplace.
- Review your policies and benefit programs to ensure that none of them have any inadvertent problems that arise after an employee reaches a specific age. For example, ensure that any life insurance or disability insurance does not stop providing coverage after a specific age.
- Train other employees to reduce or eliminate age discrimination. This is applicable to most other employees but especially to those involved in hiring and employment decisions.
- Pay attention to your absence policies, and ensure that they are implemented fairly. There is an increased likelihood of an older worker needing to take more days off, and he or she should not be unfairly penalized.
- Consider changing job duties, if needed, to tasks that are less strenuous.
- Consider offering wellness programs. These types of programs can help to detect health issues early, which may allow early treatment for employees who choose to participate in the wellness initiative. Another benefit to consider would be on-site fitness facilities.
- Find formal and informal ways to ensure that the breadth and depth of experience can be transferred to other employees before an older worker decides to leave the workforce.
- Don’t overlook more experienced workers for challenging new opportunities. They may welcome a challenge and can utilize their knowledge.
What has been your experience with keeping older workers satisfied and happy on the job? What other tips would you suggest?