For Employers - The Senior Source

The Senior Employment Program connects employers with experienced and qualified older workers. The clients we serve have a broad range and depth of experience and skills to offer employers. These older workers have backgrounds that span a variety of industries, from administrative assistant to upper management.

To post a job listing with the Senior Employment Program click here.

The benefits of hiring older workers
Employer tips
Myths vs Facts
About the Senior Employment Program

The benefits of hiring older workers

Older workers are
Reliable
Conscientious about their job and work performance
Good with your customers
Interested in helping your company grow
Experienced and skilled
Eager to work
Flexible.

If your company could benefit by hiring more employees with these qualities, perhaps your company has been missing out on one of the best hidden resources in today’s work force—the older worker. For additional information or assistance, contact the Senior Employment Program at 214.823.5700 or email.

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Employer Tips

Employer Tips: How to attract and retain quality older adults

It all starts at the top. The CEO and senior management need to make clear the company's commitment to valuing older adults. That message needs to be at the center of all HR and management practices at every level - and a factor in every supervisor's evaluation.
Make your keywords Respect, Value, Praise, Recognize and Reward.
Think involvement of people. Find out how your older workers feel about being valued. Ask them! Talk with those who have left employment recently. Ask managers and supervisors about their perceptions and about transforming any "career stagnation," especially for long-term employees.
Start an age diversity awareness training program. Gather information to start a program for managers and supervisors in every area of the company. Identify myths and stereotypes and provide "reality checks" using available research.
Think non-traditional recruiting strategies. Post job announcements on your web site and show pictures of workers of all ages. Advertise your job interests on web sites and in media that have a large number of older adult viewers. In addition to identifying your company as an "Equal Opportunity Employer" add - " This company values workers of all ages." Post it on brochures and annual reports.
Think "out of the box" benefits. Examine the company's programs from top to bottom. Ask: Are there different ways of addressing issues that do not require substantial increases in costs? Ask: What would it take to make people want to stay? Tailor programs to people's needs and desires within a reasonable cost structure. That will build loyalty and increase productivity.
Think options - like telecommuting. A recent study by the Society for Human Resource Management found 28 per cent now letting their employees telecommute.
Think flexibility - like job sharing, phased-in retirement.
Join companies offering eldercare benefits. These include eldercare information, referral, support services and other work-life benefits. Identify external resources that can help in all
areas.
Review training programs. Ensure that workers of all ages are encouraged to participate and grow personally and that programs utilize best strategies that help people learn – not just a one-size-fits-all approach.
Use older workers as mentors. Tap into their loyalty, productivity, experience and maturity.
Promote health wellness and prevention programs. This is to maintain health of all workers. Make reasonable accommodations to meet workers' needs.
Check stress levels of managers and employees. Adjust workloads and time off plans. Help people to have fun and enjoy their work lives - it will make them more productive as well as more committed.
Use cross-generational training and teams. This allows workers of all ages to learn from and appreciate each other while adding value to the workplace. Help diminish the "us vs. them" attitude. Bring out each group's strengths.
Bring back retirees. Utilize their experience and know-how in either full or part time employment.
Stress talent and people, not just technology.
Support training and communication skill-building.
Fund it like you mean it!!!
Above all, don't expect everyone to have the same interests and desires just because they're in an "age category." Think diversity!!! Think respect!!!

Not only will these practices make your company a better and more productive place for older adults - they will make it a "place to be" for quality workers of all ages.

Prepared by Sheldon Steinhauser, Associate Professor, The Metropolitan State College of Denver. Tel/Fax: 303.220.5699

For additional information or assistance, contact the Senior Employment Program at 214.823.5700 or email.

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Myths vs. Facts

Employer Myths vs. Facts About Older Workers

Myth:	Older workers cost a company more because of higher absenteeism and accidents.
Fact:	Accident and attendance records are better for older workers than younger workers. Older workers tend to be more careful on the job. They have a strong work ethic, are dependable and responsible, and move from job to job far less frequently than younger employees.
Myth:	Older workers cannot work as effectively as younger workers and cannot meet the physical demands of the workplace.
Fact:	Less than 12% of today’s jobs require significant physical strength or exertion. For most occupations, productivity levels remain stable or even increase with age because of improved work habits, motivation and job concentration.
Myth:	Older workers are more difficult to train and are inflexible.
Fact:	Evidence shows that learning ability, intelligence, memory and motivation do not decline with age. In addition, adaptability has been proven to be unrelated to age. Studies have shown that younger workers can be just as “set in their ways” as older workers.
Myth:	Older workers have more health problems than younger workers.
Fact:	Workers age 65 and older take fewer days off for illness than other workers. It is well known that the more active the person, the better his or her health.

Sources: US Department of Labor; AARP; Senior Employment Program of The Senior Source.

For additional information on dealing with employer myths, please contact the Senior Employment Program at 214.823.5700 or email.

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