The Age-Friendly Workplace Initiative ©

The time is ripe for age-friendly workplaces and age-inclusive management. In the United States, and across the world, we are experiencing a fundamental demographic shift. 

 

Birth rates are declining, and people are living longer and, for the most part, healthier lives. Since before the COVID-19 pandemic, and increasingly since, we are facing a shortage of workers. But are we really? There is an untapped workforce in older adults, who often both want and need to work.

We have a paradox – and an opportunity. Help wanted signs are everywhere while there are older workers who want and need to work but can’t get hired. Businesses are missing out on the benefits of older workers and of intergenerational workplaces because of myths and stereotypes that just don’t hold up.

Changing the Narrative’s Age-Friendly Workplace Initiative © aims to change all this, through:

  • Employer education about older workers
  • Workshops and resources for older jobseekers
  • Training for those seeking to place older workers
  • Policy research and advocacy

We’re proud that our Age-friendly Workplace Initiative has won a Metro Vision Award from Denver Regional Council of Governments, and a Public Service Award from Colorado Center for Aging for our Initiative Director. And while we’re honored that our home state of Colorado has recognized our work, we’re available for workshops and presentations across the U.S.

How we can help: If you are an employer

Learn and get training We give presentations to business leaders, owners, managers, and staff on the business case for older workers and intergenerational teams. Our one-hour presentations, with time for question and answer, include:

    • The benefits of older workers and intergenerational teams
    • How commonly held myths and stereotypes about older workers don’t hold up
    • Concrete steps you can start implementing immediately to become more age- -inclusive and help fill your talent pipeline
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We are also available to deliver this presentation to chambers of commerce, HR groups and employer/industry trade associations.

Want to know where to find older workers? Trying to find work as an older adult? Download our resource guide for employers and job seekers, and here is a link to our blog about job boards that target people age 50+.

Become a certified age-friendly business:

Learn to market to older jobseekers:

  • AFWI can make recommendations on a recruitment strategy for older jobseekers, as well as help you to target your  social media marketing to attract older jobseekers. Need an article for your industry/organization letter? We can help with strategic communications. Request more information.

Read more on our blog and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.

How we can help: If you are an older job seeker

Are you 50+ and looking for work? Here are some resources and ideas to help you.

ALSO, you can help address workplace age discrimination by sharing your story. The statistics about workplace age discrimination are compelling and clearly make the case, but nothing, nothing is as powerful as a story. Let us know if you’re willing to share yours.

How we can help: Those who help older job seekers

Are you a workforce center, career coach or other individual or group supporting older adults looking for work? We offer presentations on topics like the business case for older workers, how to best position older jobseekers to different types of employers, age-inclusive management, and best practices employers have used to leverage the benefits of older employees and intergenerational teams. We also collaborate on joint workshops for older workers about effective job seeking strategies. Contact us for more information and to bring a workshop to your community.

Policy Advocacy

The Age-friendly Workplace initiative also partners with community organizations to educate policymakers and others about public policies that will ensure that older people who want and need to work can. Policies we advocate for include:

  • Strengthening age discrimination laws (so that age discrimination is treated in the same way as other forms of discrimination)
  • Eliminating graduation dates and other age-identifiers from job applications
  • Including age in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and promoting age-friendly management
  • Ensuring that public training and workforce development dollars are used to reskill and upskill workers of all ages

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