Helping older workers remain productive: technological devices developed for people with disabilities can help aging workers remain highly productive and enable employers to avoid the pitfalls of losing experienced workers and suffering a labor shortage.

A dramatic transformation is taking place in the U.S. labor force: it is turning gray. By the end of this decade, more than 51 percent of American workers will be 40 or older, a 33 percent increase since 1980. By 2020, the number of American workers aged 55 and older is expected to reach 20 percent, up from 13 percent in 2000.

This demographic shift is being driven by the aging of the baby boom generation--the 76 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964, who now represent more than a quarter of the U.S. population. It's not the first demographic shift to result from baby boomers moving through different life stages, and it won't be the last.

Throughout the latter half of the 20th century; the evolving needs of the baby boom generation caused significant changes in our society, leading to the construction of new schools, the birth of new communities, and the creation of new industries. As the baby boomers came of age in the 1960s and 1970s, colleges expanded and enrollments soared, creating a highly educated workforce and swelling the consumer population that drove the economic growth of the 1980s and 1990s.

To date, few employers have fully prepared for the graying of the baby boomers and the impact of this trend. Soon, many businesses, government agencies, and other organizations will need to make extensive changes in their workplace policies and operations, including their use of technology:

NOT IMMUNE TO AGING

As the oldest baby: boomers near retirement age and the youngest enter their 40s, their needs are changing. Society--and this includes the workplace--will be forced to adapt. Baby boomers are healthier, and destined to live longer, than generations before them. Many are also planning to work longer, either because they, are reluctant to retire and give up a stimulating career or because they are unable to afford it.

According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), a lobbying organization for senior citizens, 69 percent of employees over the age of 45 plan to continue working past age 65. The economic recession that began in 2001 reduced the value of many retirement accounts, prompting workers and retirees to re-evaluate their options and either delay retirement or consider working part-time when they do "retire." Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed by AARP also cited health insurance and prescription drug benefits as key reasons for remaining employed.

Whatever their motives for staying on the job, older workers generally will find that employers are receptive to keeping them, not only because of their skills and experience but because there are not enough younger workers to replace them if they retire. Declining birth rates that began in the mid-1960s are dramatically slowing the growth of the U.S. labor force, and this trend is expected to become more acute in the years ahead. For the economy to prosper, many older workers must be retained.

Recruiting and retaining older workers will require employers to revise their human resources policies and make some accommodations, because baby boomers are not immune to the physical effects of aging. Compared with adults under age 45, for example, people between 45 and 64 are more than twice as likely to be visually impaired to some extent and nearly five times more likely to experience some hearing loss.

TECHNOLOGY OFFERS SOLUTIONS

Fortunately, computer technology--much of it developed to assist people with disabilities--can help older workers remain productive despite age-related impairments and disabilities that might otherwise slow them down and make it harder for them to perform their job tasks. Examples of assistive technology include the following:

* Software that magnifies a computer screen and makes it easier to see text;

* Large track balls and other pointing devices that move a cursor without calling on fine motor skills;

* Voice recognition software that enables people with arthritis to speak more and type less; and

* Visual alerts that remind people who are deaf or hard of hearing of meetings and other appointments and notify them when e-mail arrives.

Notwithstanding the availability of such technologies, many older workers are reluctant to ask for help for fear that revealing a problem could lead to negative perceptions about their performance, limit their chances for promotion, or even jeopardize their jobs. Others may not want to acknowledge they have a problem (even to themselves) because they reject the notion that they're getting older and may need help. In some cases, impairments may have occurred so gradually that older workers have compensated for them without realizing the growing effect on everyday activities. There are also many people who aren't aware of the benefits that accessible and assistive technology can provide.

RE-EXAMINING MISCONCEPTIONS 

The benefits of accessible and assistive technology are not limited to aging workers and people with severe disabilities. A 2003 research study commissioned by Microsoft and conducted by Forrester Research found that 60 percent of working-age adults (ages 18 to 64) and 57 percent of working-age computer users could benefit from the use of accessible technology due to impairments or difficulties that interfere with their ability to perform routine tasks.

These findings are increasingly important as America's transition from a manufacturing economy to one based on gathering and using information continues to accelerate. According to some estimates, 68 percent of U.S. workers now use some type of computer or Internet device in their work. Many of those are not traditional desktop computers: Commercial airline pilots today use lap-top computers to download flight manuals and calculate flight plans; nurses use wireless portable digital assistants (PDAs) to enter patients' vital signs into a hospital database; and automotive workers enter and track parts and product data on the factory floor using a wireless device connected to the corporate intranet and a Web browser.

By making a commitment to accessibility, companies can reap the benefits of productivity gains and the value of retaining experienced, knowledgeable workers. Unfortunately, most employers are unprepared for the effects of these shifting demographics. A 2002 poll of human resources professionals by DBM, a global human resources consulting firm, showed that although 61 percent of firms are aware of the demographic changes, 55 percent are not actively implementing strategies to either attract or retain workers over the age of 50. With the coming shortfall of younger workers and the emergence of older workers as a competitive force in American business, failure to prepare may prove to be a significant problem for those companies.

Already, many businesses are feeling the loss of experienced managers. Many organizational structures were thinned and flattened over the past decade, creating the conditions for an unmanageable gap in skill levels as the expertise of older workers is lost and finding qualified replacements becomes more difficult. Beyond that, the costs of direct and indirect workforce turnover can be high. According to the American Management Association, such costs typically range from 25 percent to almost 200 percent of an employee's annual compensation. Businesses must understand and account for not only these hard costs but also the costs of disrupted customer service and the loss of experience, continuity, and institutional knowledge.

Employers need to realign their strategies for employee development, retention, and transition with the goal of retaining high-contributing employees. They need to be proactive, because workers may not self-identify their physical limitations or seek assistance for them. They need to recruit talent that possesses innovation, knowledge, skills, and leadership, regardless of age.

Employers also need to re-examine old myths and misconceptions that may be serving as barriers to active recruitment of older workers. For example, several recent studies have shown that both older workers and workers with disabilities are significantly more loyal and dependable than their younger colleagues. In addition, according to the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, the majority of accommodations cost less than $500 and some cost nothing at all, while the average cost to recruit a new employee equals more than 13 percent of the worker's annual salary.

By aligning business policies and practices with the needs of the changing workforce, employers will retain valuable employees while increasing productivity and competitiveness. Such investments send the message to all workers that employability is not a function of age but rather of each person's ability to make a meaningful contribution to the goals and objectives of the business.

DEVELOPING AN ACTION PLAN

In developing solutions and accommodations for the workforce, employers need to consider a comprehensive strategy that includes training policies, technology procurement policies, accommodations, ergonomics, and healthy computing practices. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and some other organizations have started to develop resources to help employers that warn to develop strategies to meet the challenge of the aging workforce and take advantage of the opportunities it offers.

Microsoft Corp. has developed a five-step guide to help employers develop and implement their own plans. A brief version of the guide is available online from Microsoft at no charge (www.microsoft.com/enable/business/plan.aspx). It shows employers how to define an accessible technology strategy; identify requirements; design, develop, and purchase technology; implement and maintain technology; and continue learning. A more detailed guide is available in a book, "Accessible Technology in Today's Business," which is available from Microsoft Press.

By implementing a strategy for accessible technology, employers will be better equipped to recruit and retain productive and dedicated employees, regardless of age, while empowering all employees to realize their potential.

For more than 15 years, Microsoft has been a leader in developing accessible technology for people with disabilities. Popular Microsoft products, such as the Windows operating systems and Office applications, include many built-in accessibility features, from a screen magnifier and voice recognition to filter keys that help people with shaky hands or stiff fingers avoid typing extra keystrokes unintentionally.

Microsoft also works closely with technology firms that develop assistive technology devices for people with disabilities, These devices may also help older workers who begin to experience more serious age-related impairments, such as macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in older adults, or severe arthritis.

In 2004, Microsoft developed a Web site (www.microsoft.com/enable/aging/) and launched a campaign to help older workers and their employers learn more about technology that can mitigate the effects of age-related impairments. Working with Brian Basset, nationally syndicated cartoonist and the creator of the Adam@Home and Red & Rover comic strips, Microsoft developed a series of humorous tips and instructions about the top accessibility features in Windows XP, plus a wealth of other information and resources to inform and assist aging workers and their employers.

Employee assistance and human resources professionals can download the campaign materials free of charge (www.microsoft.com/ enable/aging/tips.aspx) and use them to help engage and educate employees about the availability and benefits of accessible technology. Step-by-step tutorials for using the accessibility features in other Microsoft products are available at www.microsoft .com/enable/training/default.aspx.

Madelyn Bryant McIntire is director of the Accessible Technology Group (ATG) at Microsoft. Prior to joining the ATG in 1999, she worked for Compaq Corporation in Cupertino, Calif. She has held positions as a software developer, development manager, test manager, and director in companies as large as 85. 000 workers.