Workforce • AARP

Work is a central part of many people’s lives, and as they get older, they don’t want that to change. But ageism sometimes makes it harder for older Americans to continue working.

“Many older workers still face negative stereotypes and age discrimination,” says Scott Frisch, chief operating officer of AARP. While Frisch notes that “more businesses are recognizing the value of older workers and a multigenerational workforce,” AARP’s goal is to spread that realization among employers broadly so that older workers can continue to do what they love.

AARP has enlisted more than 1,000 companies to sign the Employer Pledge, which affirms that they value older workers. “On our job board, pledge signers are highlighted so applicants will find them,” Frisch says. “We also offer a Resume Advisor tool to help job seekers update and age-proof their resumes.”

AARP also helps on the legal front, filing friend-of-the-court briefs to support individuals and classes in significant discrimination and hiring cases.

A shift in employers’ mindset about older workers means that they “will select job candidates solely on their ability, regardless of age, and actively seek to retain older workers because of their institutional knowledge and the skills they bring to the workforce, like being empathetic, collaborative, and highly engaged,” Frisch says. “A four- or five-generation workforce will be good for individuals, business, and the economy.”

(Thomas Barwick/DigitalVision)