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 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.

Between 2019 and 2024, the initiative engaged in:

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

How we can help: If you are an employer

Interested in a workshop on:

  • 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

Book Janine Vanderburg to speak or to facilitate a workshop

Contact Janine Vanderburg
Want to know where to find older workers? Learn to market to older jobseekers. We 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.

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

Are you 50+ and looking for work? Watch our video for older job seekers:

More ideas:

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.

Book Janine Vanderburg to speak or to facilitate a workshop

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

Contact Janine Vanderburg to learn more.

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