Pat sees the silver lining in this labor shortage. One of the best outcomes of this realization that there will be insufficient growth in the younger cohort of workers is that employers are becoming much more creative, open-minded, proactive, and open to flexibility. They are being challenged in economic ways to do more with less and that's got them into more out of the box thinking. The result is a changing paradigm of how we look at the aging population. Some employers call it the "Silver Tsunami". However, rather than seeing a tsunami in negative terms, many see them as a real solution. They are finding the silver lining in adversity to their benefit. And we hope to the benefit of all workers - especially the mature worker and the worker with a disability.
Helping employers to understand and address the work support needs and interests of the mature worker - in a way that benefits all workers - is part of the service provided by Pat and her VATD staff. What are mature workers often asking for? According to Pat it is flexibility in terms of scheduling, a flexible workplace, and accommodations regarding work tools.
a) Flexibility in scheduling - Employers by and large really do respect and appreciate the skills of the mature workforce and are concerned about the brain drain so some very creative scheduling options are being created. Some examples are phased retirement or part-year positions. In this situation the mature worker can be an excellent part of the seasonal workforce. Furthermore, as employers start to create flexibility for the mature worker, they begin to see that it is feasible to make similar adjustments for other employees as well.
b) Flexibility re work location - Both mature workers and younger parents are often interested in being able to work at home. Pat has seen employers who were interested in doing this in order to retain experienced older workers. For a mature worker trying to live on less, this allows them to save on transportation costs. In one instance, this meant that employees worked at home on Tuesdays through Thursdays, but everyone was in the office on Monday and Friday. In this way they do independent work at home and group work at office. All it took was the employer recognizing that it can be done but just not every day.
c) Work tools - Mature workers often need work tools that can lessen the amount of physical effort they need to expend. Some of the best examples of this are in health care - where they are totally revamping what Licensed Nursing Assistants and Physical Care Attendants doing by providing lifts and teaching proper ways of moving patients. Some jobs that used to be heavy lifting jobs now have fairly sophisticated equipment that help to lighten the physical demands. Furthermore, other employers are taking the initiative to revamp manufacturing floor set ups so workers are covering less ground on cement floors. In all instances, the measures benefit the mature and the younger worker.
In essence, what mature workers are asking for are measures that fall within the concept of Universal Design. .
What is Universal Design? According to the Center for Universal Design and its founder, Ron Mace, "Universal design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design." This extends not just to products but to built environments and communication practices as well. The intent is to find ways to simplify life for everyone at little or no extra cost.
So, rather than looking at the Americans with Disabilities Act and worrying about required accommodations, an employer can look beyond the ADA and its legal requirements and focus on best practices for improving the workplace environment for all its employees, regardless of disability. The result? Improved job satisfaction and productivity for all employees."
There are seven principles of universal design which, when applied to the workplace, identify the important aspects of the work environment for an employer to consider. You can read more about these here (http://www.empowermotraining.org/ada2008/adamodule12_07_lcw/ada1module12_07_lcw16/ADA1Module12_07_LCW13.html ) They are:
- Principle #1: Equitable Use
- Principle #2: Flexibility In Use
- Principle #3: Simple & Intuitive Use
- Principle #4: Perceptible Information
- Principle #5: Tolerance For Error
- Principle #6: Low Physical Effort
- Principle #7: Size And Space For Approach And Use
When employers apply Principle #2, Flexibility in Use, they determine the available degree of flexibility in their employee policies and work environments. They recognize and expect that employees have differing work styles and preferences, and so they provide employees with the option to customize their personal work routines and methods to the widest extent possible. In addition they allow employees to complete their work in a way that matches their learning and work preferences and strengthens their talents and abilities. In doing so, productivity improves.
It is this principle which we see in action in the flexibility of schedule and flexibility of work location types of adjustments sought by VATD's mature workers.
As for c) above, "work tools", these adjustments are an example of Principle #6: Low Physical Effort. When employers apply this principle, they look to reduce physical effort by implementing ergonomic design, minimizing unnecessary repetitive motions, and placing workplace materials in the most convenient location. Maximizing efficiency and comfort are key considerations in designing the workplace environment. Employees are allowed to customize their work spaces to be personally convenient. Work tasks are evaluated for the physical effort required and modified however possible to minimize the required effort for the benefit of all employees.
Thus Universal Design manifests a philosophy about the naturalness of human diversity. It respects that 'one size doesn't fit all.' Good workplace design that keeps this human diversity in mind helps the bottom line, for it can help ALL employees be more productive, not just the mature worker or the employee with a disability.
So we've seen that there are many ways that employers can meet the challenges of a shortage of skilled workers by tapping into the mature workforce - including workers with age-related disabilities. We've also seen that through the application of universal design principles, workplace policies and environments can be designed to meet the needs and maximize the potential of ALL workers, young and old, disabled and not.
The remaining question is this.
Why should Vermont employers hire a mature worker?
According to Pat, there are employers who still say "why do I want to hire someone at 60 when I can hire a kid out of college who knows the newest technology?" However, it's important to recognize that new graduates don't have the experience to know how to adapt that new technology to the realities of the job. Other employers say "why do I want to hire someone in 50s or 60s when I'm only going to have them for a couple of years?" Yet Pat will tell you that they are now seeing that mature workers are more likely to stay in a job than are younger workers. Much like workers with a disability, once they have a good fit they are going to be loyal, good workers.
Furthermore, mature workers in Vermont quite often have a much better educational background than one might expect. In Vermont our 55+ workforce is better educated compared to the rest of the country, and there is a direct correlation between education and desire to stay in the workforce.
Finally, people who remain active and working are so much healthier, which prevents a drain on our healthcare system. The physical, cognitive and social stimulation of the workplace is seen to have beneficial effects for retaining capacities as we age. In short, work is good for everyone, older, younger, disabled and not.
So is universal design. Good human resource policies benefit everyone and maximize the potential of all employees. And good employees of all ages mean the continued success and economic growth of Vermont and its businesses.
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