Working Longer – New Strategies for Managing, Training, and Retaining Older Employees

Citation

Cattell, A. (2009), "Working Longer – New Strategies for Managing, Training, and Retaining Older Employees", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 41 No. 2, pp. 107-108. https://doi.org/10.1108/00197850910939171

The authors of this book have backgrounds and experience in academia, workforce education and management of older workers. The book is part of the American Management Association Innovations in Adult Learning Theory and Practice Series. The text is ideally suited to recruiters, manager and trainers within organizations seeking to motivate, develop and retain the knowledge and abilities of older employees.

The aim of the book is to inform readers about what steps organizations can and should be taking to attract, best utilize and retain the talent of the “baby boomer” generation in an increasingly competitive talent market.

There are three Parts to the book:

1. 1.

   Introduction. Which sets the scene on the context of older adult workers in todays workforce and considers age related health issues related to workplace design. There is also a chapter devoted to identifying the necessary approaches that can be integrated into training programmes to accommodate the needs of older workers.

2. 2.

   Design. The authors state ”Todays challenge is to provide opportunities which motivate older workers to take charge of their careers even after traditional retirement age, and to play a more active role in remaining current in the workplace” This Part looks at the practicalities, needs and expectations of older workers as regards the learning environment, improving of learning performance and workplace learning competence. There is a major chapter on Career Development for Adults and Older Workers which highlights that there is much that employers can do in recruiting, retaining and managing older workers.

3. 3.

   Managing Organizational Knowledge. Examines the practical steps that employers need to take to plan for an ageing workforce. Key questions are:

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  What do we need for the future in terms of skill and knowledge sets?

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  Who has them?

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  Are those who have them near retirement?

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  Do they wish to stay or would they consider alternative employment options, e.g. consultancy, mentoring younger employees, flexible employment etc?This Part also includes a checklist approach for small, medium and large enterprises to help them prepare for the future.

The book is well researched and identifies key issues whilst also suggesting practical solutions to these. Whereas much talent literature identifies younger employees as key assets, the authors of this book suggest that more seasoned workers are equally as valuable and need to be nurtured and empowered. The statistics and research presented certainly seem to support this view.

The key messages within the book are:

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  the need to develop career and performance management techniques for effectively motivating and engaging older workers.

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  training and development methods that will engage and motivate older workers and help them to upgrade their skills.

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  the benefits of valuing, coaching and retaining experienced employees.

The text is full of tips, templates and tools including an advance organiser at the beginning of the book. The Notes are detailed and thorough and there is an Appendix – Resources list packed with websites to follow up on. Whilst some reference is made to other regions and countries, the majority of the source material and statistics are of North American origin. This does not detract from the content and message of the book as perhaps that particular employment market has longer experience than some world‐wide, in terms of age and diversity initiatives and legislation.