The Voices of Kentucky Employers: Benefits, Challenges, and Promising Practices for an Aging Workforce

Meredith Wells-Lepley, Jennifer Swanberg, Lisa Williams, Yoshie Nakai, James W. Grosch

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study explored Kentucky employers' preparedness for the aging workforce using focus groups and a survey. Although employers perceived many benefits of older workers, five key challenges of an aging workforce emerged: institutional knowledge loss, older workers' dependent care commitments, health and safety problems, generation gaps, and lack of technical skills. The results also suggested potential solutions and organizational practices to address each of these challenges. These practices include succession planning, meaningful work, flexible work, safety climate, wellness programs, generational empathy training, technology training, and intergenerational mentoring.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)255-271
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of Intergenerational Relationships
Volume11
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2013

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was funded in part by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), contract #211-2010-36715.

Keywords

  • aging workforce
  • knowledge loss
  • organizational practice
  • succession planning

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Psychology
  • Archaeology
  • Sociology and Political Science
  • Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology
  • Life-span and Life-course Studies

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