By Donna L. Wagner

In the fall of 1997, The National Council on the Aging conmissioned a study to examine the factors that influence the use of older workers by U.S. employers. The study, conducted by Towson University, included a telephone survey of 240 employers regarding their experience with and attitudes toward older workers as well as the extent to which they were planning for an increase in older workers in the future. The findings indicate that, for the most part, employers in this country hold positive attitudes toward older workerstoward older workers and have positive experiences with those older workers in their workforce. However, the findings also show that most employers are not planning on an increase in older workers in the future, nor are they including older workers in their strategic plans.

Since the passage of Social Security laws and until recently, we have seen an increase in the percentages of older people who retire at age 65 or earlier and a decrease in the percentage of older people employed in the workplace. This downward trend in employment for older people has generally been attributed to the availability of both Social Security and private pension benefits: more older people have had the resources to retire.

However, Burkhauser and Quinn suggest that retirement and work patterns for older people are influenced by more complex forces than merely access to retirement benefits. Their analysis points to an unanticipated increase in labor participation rates of older people between 1993 and 1996---a period of strong economic growth in the nation. Their interpretation of the underlying factors associated with this increase counters two widely held misconceptions regarding older workers: 1) that older people are not interested in working; and 2) that employers aren't interested in the older worker. In fact, a 1993 Commonwealth Fund study found that more than five million older Americans were ready, willing, and able to work but could not locate an appropriate position. And, as the recent increases in labor-force participation demonstrate, when the economy grows and employees are needed, older workers are included in the hiring mix.

There are still serious age discrimination problems in the country, and not all employers have enthusiasm for older workers. But a strong economy can be as important as positive agewise attitudes in fostering new opportunities for older workers. And, according to other researchers, the future looks rosy for the older adult interested in new career opportunities or part-time work. Alan Peynolds, Director of Economic Research at the Hudson Institute, suggests that in the future, the American economy will be influenced more by the scarcity of workers than a lack of jobs. This means that the very large group of older people may well become a valuable asset for the economy rather than a "drain" on Social Security in the future.

How do employers view older workers today? Do employers realize that they may need older workers in the future? And what barriers do employers perceive in using older workers? These are a few of the questions we asked 240 representatives of employers throughout the U.S.

As mentioned earlier, employers reported very positive attitudes and beliefs about older workers. Most respondents reported that they believed older workers were reliable, thorough, conscientious, and dependable. In general, the employers embraced the key benefits often touted about older workers---they have fewer on-the-job accidents, miss less time than younger workers, and are very conscientious and careful in carrying out their assignments. About one-fourth of the respondents were concerned about two things---whether the older person's skills are out-of-date and whether older workers are willing to take on demanding or difficult tasks.

One informant who runs a company in the health sector offered another observation about older workers: "They come to the workplace without all the baggage that we often see with younger workers," she reported. In her experience, the older workers were more likely to be unfettered by chaotic personal lives, sick children, and other distractions and spent their time at work "on task."

Barriers to Hiring Older People

When asked about the barriers to using older workers, the most often cited barrier for these employers (61 percent of the sample) was finding the older workers. In fact, several of the respondents asked the interviewers about possible sources and programs that would help them locate older workers. The three employment sectors most likely to report difficulties locating older workers were business services, health, and retail. The skill levels of older workers were considered to be a barrier by half of the respondents.

Half of the respondents believed that they will see an increase in the number of older workers in their workforce within the next five years. But only I I percent reported that their company had developed a strategic plan for increases in older workers; an- other 17 percent reported that older workers had been identified as an issue that needed to be addressed in their planning for the future.

Despite the fact that older workers are likely to be needed in the future to maintain econorrlic growth, the majority of the companies (73 percent) had no plan in place to effectively incorporate increasing numbers of older workers into their workforce in the years ahead. There are, of course, companies that have taken a proactive approach to older workers. McDonald's has successfully integrated older people into its workforce and has publicly advertised the value they place on these older workers. In fact, one respondent felt personally reassured by these McDonald's ads. He reported that they made him feel more optimistic about his own options when he retires and pursues a new career path. And, the ads influenced his own hiring practices and made him more aware of the untapped resources within the older population that could benefit his current employer.

The survey findings suggest that many employers in the United States today expect to see an increase in older workers in their workforce, and the employers in general hold positive attitudes and beliefs about older workers. However, advocates for older workers need to address two concerns the employers expressed: finding older workers and the skill level of older workers. (Among responding employers, older workers were most often employed in service-sectorjobs.) If it were easier for employers to find older workers, and if they could be convinced that older workers have up-to-date skills or that they can easily learn new skills, other sectors might be more likely to hire older workers as well.

*Donna L. Wagner, Ph.D., is director of gerontology at Towson University in Towson, Maryland. Before joining the faculty at Towson, Dr. Wagner was vice president for research and development at NCOA (e-mail address: dwagner@saber.towson.edu).