The Future of Work for the 50+: Considerations for Workers and Employers. December 2021. Older workers are critical to a strong economy and workforce. AARP has identified five megatrends that are shaping the future of work – Longevity, Lifelong Learning, Income Inequality, Advances in Tech, and the Rise in Contingent Work – as well as how those megatrends will specifically impact people age 50 and older. It is possible to keep pace with rapid change by giving workers the skills and support systems that ensure the economy thrives.

Ensuring the Financial Security of All Workers While They Work and When They Retire. 2021. Over the last two decades, the United States has experienced a change in the makeup of its labor market as older Americans live longer and retire later. At the same time, the nature of work has started to transform. While non-traditional working arrangements, such as part-time or contingent work, can offer flexibility and supplemental income, they may not always ensure workers’ financial security. 

Lifelong Learning on the Way to Retirement. 2021. Many workers nearing retirement age find themselves in a position where they lack the financial resources to step away from the workforce. To remain competitive in the full-time job market, older adults are increasingly taking advantage of opportunities to go back to school or attend short-term trainings. Others are developing new skills while searching for part-time income. 

The Great Attrition: What to Do About the Labor Shortage. McKinsey & Company, December 2021. With their employees leaving to take on non-traditional forms of employment, retire early, start their own businesses, or simply take a break, organizations across sectors are struggling to meet their labor demand. So, what should organizations do about this challenge? Three broad sets of potential actions include: make work more fulfilling and sustainable, improve the employer-employee relationship, and act boldly to entice people back into the workforce and onto your team.

Signs That Age Equity Is Gaining Workplace Relevance (At Last). Forbes, December 2021. While progress toward workplace age equity has been slow, this past year shows definite signs of improvement. Companies are increasingly prioritizing and committing to age diversity, and bills were introduced to both chambers of the U.S. Congress to address age equity last year. Both private and public-sector leadership is starting to actively build an age-inclusive workforce and society. 

Policy Options to Facilitate Work at Older Ages. The Urban Institute, December 2021. To deepen understanding of the labor market activities of older people, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation launched the Working Longer program in 2010. In ensuing years, the program provided over 150 grants focused on availability of older workers, employer demand for their services, and their role in the U.S. labor force. The Urban Institute marked the end of Working Longer with this recorded event, where lessons learned and policy options for facilitating work at older ages were discussed.