3 ways to support an aging workforce in your organization

As employee demographics change, so does what they want

For older workers, there’s more on their minds than retirement savings. Older workers today prioritize different things than the workforce of the past. They’re coping with the ramifications of the pandemic, dealing with economic uncertainty and rising inflation. Their compensation needs are more acute than in previous generations, and benefits are playing an outsized role in how employees are judging their workplaces. Here are some of the ways you can give your older employees what they want—and need. 

Menopause support

Providing comprehensive benefits that can fit every stage of an employee’s life, from when they’re building their family to when they go through menopause, can be an essential way to attract and retain top talent. For older people, an age-inclusive office means creating space to be open about menopause, along with benefits that support them during this transitional period. Conversations about menopause, even in the medical community, remain somewhat rare, due to the stigma surrounding this natural phase of life, but the costs associated are high. Studies suggest that global productivity losses due to menopause could be as much as $150 billion annually, as women feel pressure to suffer in silence. To help your employees, consider offering benefits from vendors that offer holistic support specific to menopause. Maven provides access to a network of telehealth specialty care experts in menopause, including OB-GYNs, mental health professionals, and reproductive endocrinologists.  

Mental health support

Older workers were likely raised in a time when conversations about mental health weren’t as open as they are today. Compounding the issue, during the pandemic, workers aged 40-59 were disproportionately affected by stress, anxiety, and PTSD. For HR leaders, providing more and better mental health support for the aging workforce can take many forms.  For starters, companies can provide easy access to mental health professionals and clinically-vetted content to help older workers cope. 

Retraining and career support

In order to be proactive, leading organizations are tapping into this talent pool and creating an updated idea of a “career path” that optimizes older workers’ skills and expertise. With this new, more flexible reframing of what a career can look like, companies are making room for a multi-generational workforce by incorporating options like retraining, flexible work, shortened work weeks, and sabbaticals into their offerings. Building an age-inclusive workplace includes making sure that older employees see a path forward both on their personal work journeys and in the organization. Access to career coaches can help your employees identify their strengths and weaknesses and create concrete goals. Additionally, you can train your managers to talk about aging and career paths at work in an inclusive and honest way so team members feel accepted and valued at any age. 

How Maven helps you support your aging employees 

By ensuring older workers have productive and evolving careers that span generations, companies can create more comprehensive strategies to engage their teams. With Maven, the leading digital family health solution, you can support your employees’ diverse reproductive and mental health needs through every phase of life. With our comprehensive offering, members have access to unlimited virtual support from experts in menopause, mental health, and more, along with provider-led classes, clinically-vetted content, and expense management and reimbursement. To learn more about how Maven can be there for your employees as they get older, schedule a demo today. 

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