While the Millennial workforce is now the majority age demographic and candidate pool at your workplace, all employees bring different skills, experiences and benefits with them to the table as employees especially the older and more experience group of your employee population. The over 50 age category is challenging to recruit, retain and hire because this audience can be lumped into 3 different categories.

• Part Time Over 50 Workers. These individuals might be retired and jumping back into the workplace pool looking to stay busy, keep relevant, grow their skills or generate additional income to supplement retirement and social security. Whatever the reason, these seasoned workers are reliable and in my experience some of the best employees because they use their past experience often senior level to make sound job decisions. Question is how do you reach this flexible workforce who is open to working weekends and taking on part time or temporary work? 

• Over 50 Workers Who are Reinventing Their Careers. They may not have the exact skills or number of years experience you are looking for, but they have a proven track record, reliable employment history and know how to get the job done. The key is identifying these individuals as they begin their career transition likely through providing resources online and in person to help them determine how their previous work experiences can be shaped and marketed to fit new vertical, industry and jobs.

• Over 50 Steady Eddies. This group over 50 is reliable, dependable and not ready to slow down. One of my favorite employees was 72 and was fabulous as a customer service representative in our call center. He had such great relationship and personal skills but struggled in adopting the new computer program or technology. We provided in location training and brown bag lunch and learns for our workers including those over 50 to help those less than savvy employees continue to stay happy, productive and engaged like my former 72 year old employee. I heard he just went part time just last year.

Best Employers for Workers Over 50

The 50 best workplaces and employers for Boomers and the Traditional workforces  as recognized by AARP is largely healthcare related which doesn’t surprise me in the least. These companies offer not only great benefits but flexible schedules. Colleges and Universities are also common places where these experiences workers spend their time. The environment is formal yet complex especially if the organization is state and publicly funded. Not surprisingly government entities also made the list. Like universities, these are more traditional workplaces focused on tenure and provide specific information around retirement, benefits and compensation pay bands and classes.

1.               National Institutes of Health (NIH)      

2.               Scripps Health                                                           

3.               Atlantic Health System                                               

4.               The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center   

5.               Mercy Health System                                                                                          

6.               The YMCA of Greater Rochester                                                                         

7.               West Virginia University                                                                                      

8.               Bon Secours Virginia                                                                                          

9.               National Rural Electric Cooperative Association                                                   

10.             WellStar Health System                                                                                      

11.             Cornell University                                                                                               

12.             West Virginia University Hospitals                                                                       

13.             George Mason University                                                                                    

14.             Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

15.             Monongalia General Hospital                                      

16.             S&T Bank                                                                  

17.             Virginia Commonwealth University                               

18.             FCCI Insurance Group                                                

19.             TriHealth Inc.                                                              

20.             Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)             

21.             Stanley Consultants Inc.                                             

22.             Southern Company                                                    

23.             Yale-New Haven Hospital                                            

24.             Michelin North America Inc.                                         

25.             Department of Veterans Affairs-Veterans Health Administration

26.             Saint Vincent Health System                                       

27.             Cianbro Corporation                                                   

28.             SSM Health Care                                                        

29.             Solix Inc.                                                                   

30.             Mountain States Health Alliance                                  

31.             Central Florida Health Alliance                                     

32.             Securian Financial Group                                            

33.             One Nevada Credit Union                                           

34.             Swarthmore College                                                   

35.             MEI Technologies Inc.                                                

36.             School Board of Brevard County                                

37.              Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center

38.              Tufts Health Plan                                                        

39.              Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)               

40.             Coconino County                                                       

41.             Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind                        

42.             BlueCross and BlueShield of North Carolina                

43.             Ochsner Health System                                              

44.             University of Pittsburgh                                              

45.             American University                                                    

46.             Lee County Electric Cooperative                                 

47.             Massachusetts General Hospital                                 

48.             Pinnacle Health System                                              

49.             Perkins Coie LLP                                                       

50.             CheapCaribbean.com

Top Benefits and Workplace Culture for Over 50 Workers

What types of workplace benefits, culture and environment appeals to you if you are over 50 or as a business leader or HR professional for your over 50 workers? How do these perks and environment for experienced workers differ from our younger Millenials and Generation X? I would love to hear your comments below.