Dear Executives,
The past year has exposed longstanding inequities in the United States and around the world. Organizations across the globe have publicly recognized this injustice—many for the first time—and shifted their focus to work toward solutions. The Living, Learning and Earning Longer (LLEL) Collaborative has adjusted its approach as well.
AARP’s 2019 global summit on The Future of Work for All Generations noted findings that a one percent increase in the share of the working-age population across Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries is associated with a 1.5 percent growth in GDP per capita. Therefore, raising the employment of people age 55 and over helps to maximize economic growth. Unfortunately, 2020 showed us how far we still have to go to achieve this type of progress. In the past two years, LLEL has expanded on its efforts to assess diversity and inclusion in workplaces around the world. In addition, we’ve convened our global conference, webinars, peer-learning calls, and other engagements to address the sense of urgency that COVID-19 has instilled in us to meet the needs of employers and employees amidst fast-changing workforce trends and an uncertain economy. While our efforts have expanded, our end goal is still a fully equitable, diverse, and age-inclusive workforce.
As the Collaborative shifts to meet these challenges, we want to hear from you to make sure we are putting the right foot forward. In December, we will send an end-of-year survey to LLEL partner organizations to get your feedback on what you found valuable from the Collaborative engagements. We will also ask what you would like to see in the coming year.
The Collaborative continues to grow even as we assess and plan our priorities for 2021. In November, we welcomed Atos, Avnet, Clear Channel Outdoor, Fidelity Investments, Fortune, ModSquad, and the National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions as new members. We look forward to partnering with and incorporating their efforts into our collective work as part of the Learning Collaborative.
On December 16, AARP, in collaboration with Forbes Media, will release the full OECD report, Promoting an Age-Inclusive Workforce: Living, Learning and Earning Longer, and digital learning platform, Growing with Age, through an online event. The event will feature Angel Gurría, Secretary-General, OECD; Jo Ann Jenkins, CEO, AARP; Steve Forbes, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, Forbes Media; Martine Ferland, President and CEO, Mercer; Jeff Huber, CEO, Home Instead; and Rebecca Henderson, CEO, Global Businesses, Randstad, among others. We encourage collaborative members – and their colleagues – to participate in the event and register in advance.
I encourage you to watch AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins' presentation at the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Jobs Reset Summit. The WEF Summit was a virtual meeting that brought together leaders and consortia from business, government, civil society, and media to discuss ways to rethink growth, jobs, skills, and equity. Her presentation explored how equity, inclusion, and social justice can be reset for the new economy and society.
AARP continues to publish, in both English and Spanish, information and tips daily on our website at aarp.org/coronavirus and global resources at www.aarpinternational.org. We also continue to host weekly Tele-Town Halls with the nation’s top coronavirus experts so that you can ask questions and hear the latest on the health and lifestyle recommendations that are being released on an ongoing basis.
Thank you for your support of the LLEL Collaborative as we continue to adapt to ongoing challenges. As always, I encourage you to send your thoughts, experiences, and insights to thoughtleadership@aarp.org.
Jean C. Accius, PhD
Senior Vice President of Global Thought Leadership
AARP
LinkedIn | @JeanAccius | Jean Accius’ Bio
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- December 16, 2020, at 10:00 AM (EST): Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Forum. We will unveil a new digital learning platform and the OECD research report. Register for this event.
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5 Things You Need to Know About Leading a Multigenerational Team During COVID-19
Jeffrey Gullo, Senior Adviser, International Affairs, AARP
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Originally published in NationSwell.
Over the last few years, managers began embracing the concept of the multigenerational workforce, with five generations working side-by-side for the first time in history. Experts regularly noted the benefits of a multigenerational workforce, including better business performance, better market insight, and a stronger pipeline of talent. Then the COVID-19 crisis hit, and employers everywhere have been challenged in ways that they could not have predicted or even imagined. Companies have faced periods of profound disruption while helping employees adapt to new work environments and technologies, often while juggling caregiving demands at home. How can managers focus on the bottom line and continue to blend multiple generations into cohesive teams, all while dealing with the COVID-19 curveball?
In a recent AARP-sponsored interview, Reuters digital special projects editor Lauren Young sat down with Johnna Torsone, executive vice president and chief human resources officer at the 100-year-old technology and global e-commerce company, Pitney Bowes, to discuss the multigenerational workforce, the impact of COVID-19, and ways employers can bolster organizational resilience through age diversity and inclusion during these unprecedented times. Here are 5 takeaways from that conversation:
- Remember That Many of Your Employees Are Also Caregivers. With the shift toward remote work, it is important for employers to recognize the challenges posed to work-from-home staff as caregivers. Caregiving responsibilities can affect workers of all ages—whether they are caring for a child, sick relative, parent, or grandparent. Employers need to consider the necessary mental, emotional, and financial support and resources to enable their employees to thrive. At Pitney Bowes, they are expanding services for workers who are also serving in caregiving roles.
- Meet Employees Where They Are. It is critically important for employers to develop resources that meet employees where they are, regardless of age or life stage. This is especially true today in the context of COVID-19 as different generations manage a variety of uncertainties, such as how the pandemic will affect one’s retirement income or what the impact of coronavirus will be on opportunities for younger workers. Employers must re-evaluate and design policies and employee resources with an eye toward universal design.
- Offer Flexibility Wherever Possible. Employees of all ages and life stages have enjoyed the flexibility generated by the shift to remote work, which has only been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. And though many employees like the idea of going back to the office in some capacity, they wish to retain the ability to work from home when an office setting is not necessary to perform their job. Pitney Bowes had a strong flexibility policy prior to COVID-19—nearly half of their staff were already in flexible work arrangements, and it is noted as one of the top reasons why people stay at the company.
- Build Diverse Teams to Drive Innovation. If innovation is a goal, then you need a diverse team to get you there. And remember that diversity is multidimensional, including gender, race, age, and a host of other factors. In fact, research shows that an age-diverse, multigenerational team results in more innovative solutions than a homogenous team. Torsone noted, “There’s no question in my mind that different generations bring strength to the workplace. So, companies having the leadership that knows how to manage effectively or lead multigenerational groups and diversity on multiple dimensions are going to be the companies that are going to be the most successful in the future.” And she is not alone in her opinion. In fact, a recent AARP survey of nearly 6,000 global executives from 36 OECD countries found that 83 percent of global executives recognize that a multigenerational workforce is key to business growth and success. Yet, 53 percent do not include age in their diversity and inclusion policies.
- Be Optimistic. Periods of profound disruption can uncover new sources of strength and resilience. There is tremendous opportunity for the private sector to rise to the occasion and chart a new path forward by further investing in workers and re-evaluating corporate policies and practices with an eye toward universal design. Employers that do so—and embrace age diversity and inclusion—will be positioned for sustainability and business continuity, even in the face of global uncertainty.
These are just some of the ways employers can leverage diversity and inclusion for long-term growth and success.
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Want to Better Support Your Employees During COVID-19? Determine What Each of Them Needs
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented increase in people working from home to stay safe. However, the work setup for each employee is not cookie cutter or one-size-fits-all. Each worker has individual needs based on his or her health, home, and area where they live.
Mongeral Aegon, a nearly 200-year-old investment firm and insurance company in Brazil, has taken a number of steps to meet its employees’ needs during the pandemic, but the first was to listen. After determining how best to protect their employees during the pandemic, Mongeral Aegon then asked each of them what they needed to successfully work from home. Immediate determinations included that some preferred laptops, while others needed multiple screens.
Then Mongeral Aegon dug deeper, assessing the challenges each person was facing, such as parenting or adult caregiving, and then incorporating ways to ease external stressors so that the employees could better balance home and work responsibilities. This included allowing them more flexibility to work anytime and anywhere and providing them with collaboration tools such as virtual coffees and learning platforms to help them stay engaged and connected, while adjusting to a digital mindset. Long-term, this flexibility allows for fairer representation and more diversity to remain in or reenter the workforce.
The Longevity Institute, another initiative of Mongeral Aegon, has created an informational platform on COVID-19 with verified information and resources on health and wellbeing for individuals who are 50 and older. It also researched the response to the platform and learned that many were prepared to work online. The Longevity Institute then developed a training platform with 300 requalification courses and encouraged skill-building, so that the trainees had both the knowledge and the contacts to become insurance brokers in their regions. You can learn more about this program here.
Mongeral Aegon’s efforts were most recently discussed on LLEL’s October 21 Peer Learning Call. To listen to the full call, go to: https://www.aarpinternational.org/initiatives/future-of-work/living-learning-and-earning-longer and click on the “Peer Learning Calls” tab.
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The Living, Learning and Earning Longer Collaborative is working with global companies to refine the business case for age diversity and highlight promising practices from around the world. With the World Economic Forum (WEF) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), AARP is considering the complexity of the multigenerational workforce when evaluating an organization’s recruitment and retention practices, flexible work and caregiving benefits, lifelong learning, and training and assessment procedures.
Our findings will identify standards, policies, and practices to support an age-diverse and inclusive workforce ecosystem, ensuring an activated multigenerational workforce that can deliver innovation and resilience in the face of economic and global uncertainty. This work will culminate in a digital learning platform to be launched in December 2020. This interactive platform will serve as a guide for employers on the policies, practices, and business cases for supporting an age-diverse workforce.
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Join AARP, the WEF, the OECD, and at least 50 employers in a Living, Learning & Earning Longer Collaborative to identify and share multigenerational, inclusive workforce practices. To formally join the Learning Collaborative, contact Jeffrey Gullo at AARP or Haleh Nazeri at the WEF.
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The AARP Employer Pledge Program is a nationwide group of employers that stand with AARP in affirming the value of experienced workers and are committed to developing diverse organizations.
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Employers who sign the Pledge agree that they:
- Recognize the value of experienced workers
- Have immediate hiring needs
Demonstrate your organization’s commitment by signing the AARP Employer Pledge:
“We believe in equal opportunity for all workers, regardless of age, and that 50+ workers should have a level playing field in their ability to compete for and obtain jobs. Recognizing the value of experienced workers, we pledge to recruit across diverse age groups and to consider all applicants on an equal basis as we hire for positions within our organization.”
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We encourage you to share this newsletter widely with your colleagues and other stakeholders.
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