Managing the Mature Workforce

The maturing workforce has brought challenges that range in severity from “Who will replace old Joe?” to “It’s a national crisis.” For most companies, the situation is somewhere in between and should be seen as an opportunity rather than an issue to be resolved. Many retirement-age workers want to keep working. To tap into this valuable talent pool, companies should be open to phased retirement and work flexibility, should do strategic workforce planning, and should make themselves aware of laws protecting older workers. Case studies of five companies, including IBM and Lincoln Financial, illuminate best practices in attracting mature workers.