Designing the Age Friendly Workplace

1
The Aging Workforce
Why It Matters What To Do
2
Key PointsWhy the Aging Workforce Matters

• You will have more older workers on the job in
  the coming decades
• Safety, job performance and health can be
  maintained with age
• Our age affects how we work
• Our work affects how we age
• The implications of an aging workforce depend on
  what you do to prepare

3
Safety, Health, Job Performance AgeA Discussion
Aging Workers

• Healthy Behaviors
• Physical Abilities
• Hearing
• Vision
• Strength

Knowledge
Skills Family Genes Stress
4
Safety, Health, Job Performance AgeA Discussion
The Work Environment

• Lighting
• Noise
• Physical Demands of Work
• Lifting
• Repetitive Motion
• Overhead Work

Distractions
5
Safety, Health, Job Performance AgeA Discussion
Organization Policies
Retirement Plans Health Promotion
Programs Flexible Work Options Health Insurance
Plans Continuing Education Age Discrimination
Policies
The Work Environment
6
Safety, Health, Job Performance AgeA Discussion
Society
Organization Policies
Laws Governing Retirement Age Discrimination
Laws Social Security Cost of Health Care Public
Transportation Schools and Colleges Elder Care
Facilities
The Work Environment
7
The Aging WorkforceLevels of Influence
Society
Organization Policies
The Work Environment
Can You Influence How Your Workers Age?
8
How Can We Affect How We Age?
Aging Worker Work Environment Organization Policies Society
Skills Lighting Retirement Plans Retirement Laws
Institutional Knowledge Noise Health Promotion Programs Social Security
Strength Lifting Flexible Work Options Health Care Costs
Vision Stress Health Insurance Public Transportation
Hearing Reaching Continuing Education Schools and Colleges
Genetics Repetitive Motion Discrimination Policies Elder Care Facilities
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Responding to the Aging WorkforceOur Focus Today
Your Organization

• Designing safe work environments for older and
  younger workers
• Developing workplace health promotion programs
  that prevent chronic illness
• Enabling workers to find a balance between the
  demands of work-life and home-life
• Through flexible work arrangements
• By leveraging society-level resources

10
The Aging WorkforceWhat To Do1

• Identify what your aging workforce priorities are
• The Work Environment
• Health Promotion Programs
• Work/Life Balance
• Create a plan to address your priorities
• Implement your plan and build on it

1 Planning approach adapted from The
Breakthrough Strategy, developed by Robert
Schaeffer
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Whats Up Next

• Well focus on three important areas to influence
  how your workers age
• The Work Environment
• Health Promotion
• Balancing Work and Life
• For each one, we will identify
• What the issues are
• What can be done to prepare

12
Time for a Break