Older Workers At Risk of Withdrawing from the Labour Force or Becoming Unemployed: Employers' views on how to retain and attract older workers

Annex A
Summary of Suggestions for Action

1. Raising Awareness of and Recognizing the Value and Benefits of Encouraging the Active Participation of Older Workers

The National Seniors Council recommends that the federal government work to address ageism and other barriers to older workers’ and seniors’ participation in the workplace by raising awareness of and recognizing the value and benefits of encouraging the active participation of older workers, including those most at-risk of withdrawing from the labour force or becoming unemployed.

• Lead a multi-year awareness raising initiative to promote the value and benefits to individuals and employers of continued and active participation in the labour force throughout the life cycle.
• This could take the form of a broad media campaign followed by smaller targeted projects, and could involve a number of federal, provincial/territorial partners and business/community leaders.
• Consideration should be given to ways to promote and inform seniors of opportunities catering to their specific needs.
• The campaign could refer the public to HRSDC’s Working in Canada web portal, seniors.gc.ca and 1-800-O-Canada to receive additional information and resources on age inclusive and “older worker friendly” workplaces.
• The awareness campaign should include an evaluation component to provide evidence of its effectiveness.
• Recognition could be provided through a Best-Practices Award designed to: (1) recognize contributions of exemplary employers towards supporting older workers; (2) recognize innovation and new practices; and (3) inspire other employers to take a leadership role in contributing to the well-being of older workers.
• Create an official Family Caregiving Recognition Day. The Day could serve to publicly recognize exemplary employers who have developed and implemented policies and programs that support employees balancing work with caregiving responsibilities. Employer supports to older workers with significant unpaid caregiving responsibilities could be considered criteria when designing and allocating the awards.

2. Building on the successes of federal programs and initiatives

The National Seniors Council recommends that the federal government consider building on the successes of its existing initiatives/mechanisms that support and encourage older workers’ participation in the workplace, including those most at-risk of withdrawing from the labour force or becoming unemployed.

• Given the benefits of the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers program in supporting unemployed older workers to re-enter the workforce, including at-risk groups such as Aboriginal and immigrant older workers, consider extending the program beyond its current end date of March 31, 2014.
• Recognizing the value of the ThirdQuarter Project, the National Seniors Council supports the Government of Canada’s commitment in Budget 2012 to extend and expand the project to better connect older workers to potential employers. If extended, the Council recommends the project consider how its matching services can better take into account the special needs of older workers and seniors who have displaced skills, illnesses, injuries or disabilities.
• Using an “older worker friendly” lens, review and update, existing Government of Canada job bank and job placement initiatives to better meet the needs of older workers and seniors, including those groups most at risk of exiting the workforce. Programs to consider include: Working In Canada, Job Bank, and the employment services offered through Citizenship and Immigrant Canada’s settlement services.
• Consider adding information on the benefits of hiring older workers and seniors, as well as the tools and resources available to recruit and retain them, to existing federal government websites and portals that target employers such as Working In Canada and the Canada Business Network website.
• Encourage the Office of Disability Issues to expand their Accessibility Resource Centre, a resource page on accommodating persons with a disability, by adding more information on how employers can accommodate older workers and seniors who are at risk of withdrawing from the labour force due to injuries, disabilities, chronic illnesses or mental health issues.
• Integrate an “older worker friendly” lens into existing training for federal policy, program, and front-line employees to encourage policy development and program delivery that supports the recruitment and retention of older workers at risk of withdrawing from the workforce or becoming unemployed.
• The New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) could actively promote projects on intergenerational learning in the workplace. Specifically the potential of older workers as ‘trainers’ and mentors, using their experience and knowledge to support the learning of younger colleagues, through formal and informal means. These types of projects would need to be led or inspired by seniors. The NHSP could also showcase successful projects that promote the active participation of older workers, particularly those at risk of withdrawing from the workforce.

3. Engaging employers in planning for the aging workforce

The National Seniors Council recommends that the federal government work collaboratively with partners – such as other levels of government, employers, unions, professional networks, and human resources professionals – to promote the design of workplace policies and practices that meet the needs of an aging labour force, including those of older workers at risk of withdrawing from the workforce.

• Encourage and support the sharing of information, tools, and resources relating to the development and implementation of policies and practices that engage older workers in the labour force including information on the specific needs of older workers who are deemed at risk of withdrawing from the labour force. Targeted web-based approaches could be cost-effective and reach key stakeholders and audiences.
• Raise awareness about the information currently available to employers to support them in developing workplace policies and accommodations to meet the needs of older workers who are at risk of withdrawing from the workforce or becoming unemployed. For example, share and disseminate more broadly the tools and resources – including the Age-Friendly Workplace Checklist for Employers – developed by the Forum of Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors
• Further examine existing reports and information to identify gaps and opportunities for knowledge development on practical approaches employers can take to recruit and retain older workers at risk of withdrawing from the workforce or becoming unemployed.
• Include strategies in their human resources plans for retaining older workers, especially those at risk of withdrawing because of factors such as caregiving duties for relatives, age-onset disabilities or illnesses, etc.
• Work in partnership with unions to examine and update collective agreements using an “older worker friendly” workplace approach.
• Work in partnership with employee assistance program leaders and insurance and benefits providers to design and develop pertinent workplace health initiatives as well as targeted programs and policies to support the ongoing engagement of older workers who may have specific workforce accommodation needs.
• Develop employer assistance programs targeted to older workers who face challenges to help them cope with age-onset transitions (e.g. health, balancing work and family caregiving responsibilities, retirement and life-long learning) and stay engaged in the workforce.