Working Longer

WILLIAM J. ROTHWELL, PH.D., SPHR, CPLP FELLOW, is Professor of Workplace Learning and Performance at Pennsylvania State University and President of Rothwell Associates, a premier human resources consulting firm. Harvey Stearns, Ph.D. (Akron, OH) is the Director of the Institute for Lifespan Development and Gerontology at the University of Akron. Diane Spokus (University Park, PA) is an adjunct instructor at Penn State University. Joel Reaser (Arlington, VA) is S. V. P. at the National Older Worker Career Center. Harvey Stearns, Ph.D. (Akron, OH) is the Director of the Institute for Lif Joel Reaser (Arlington, VA) is S. V. P. at the National Older Worker Career Center. Harvey Stearns, Ph.D. (Akron, OH) is the Director of the Institute for Lifespan Development and Gerontology at the University of Akron.

• Contents Forewordxi Prefacexv Acknowledgments xxiii Advance Organizer for This Book xxv Part I Introduction1 Chapter 1 Older Adult Workers in Today’s Work World3 Defining Adult and Older Adult Workers 6 Self-Management 9 Organizational Issues 13 Working Longer 15 Changes in the Work Environment16 Challenges to Be Faced18 Work in the Same Organization or Move?21 Careers in Later Life23 Support from Employers29 Decision Making and Work Opportunities32 Midlife Changes 33 Summary35 Chapter 2 Adapting the Workplace to Accommodate Physiological Age-Related Changes in Older Adults 36 Aging: A Global View 40 Biological Aging 40 Psychological Aging 50 Social Aging 52 Older Adults Continuing to Work 53 Designing the Workplace for Older Americans 54 Stereotypes About Aging56 The Americans With Disabilities Act57 Minorities in the Workplace63 Work Issues66 Active Older Workers66 Adapting the Workplace for Older Adults67 Summary 68 Chapter 3 How to Train Older Adults: Aging Influences on Cognitive Tasks 69 Translating What We Know into Adult and Older Worker Training72 Summary 80 Part II Design83 Chapter 4 Instructional Design for Training Older Workers85 ADDIE Model85 Individual Differences98 Training99 The Value of Training Older Workers101 How Older Adults Learn Best104 Guidelines for Training Older Adults105 Transferring Training Results105 Training Modalities106 Older Adults as Learners107 Diversity Training109 Summary110 Chapter 5 Improving Learning Performance112 Workplace Learning Competence and Its Importance112 Workplace Learning Competence and Workplace Learning Climate 113 Learner Characteristics of Older Versus Younger Adults116 Implications of Learning Principles for Training Older Adults117 Summary126 Chapter 6 Career Development for Adults and Older Workers127 Self-Management: Career and Retirement127 Obstacles to Self-Management144 Models of Career Development146 Looking to the Future151 Recommendations155 Future Directions157 Summary158 Part III Managing Organizational Knowledge167 Chapter 7 What Employers Can Do to Plan for an Aging Workforce169 The Evolving Workplace169 Getting Ahead of the Trends172 Action Steps for Preparing for the Workforce of the Future197 Summary 200 Appendix: Resources List201 Notes214 About the Authors234 Index239