Catherwood LibraryILR School

In a society that exalts youth, older workers may sometimes feel like outcasts of the economy -- prodded into early retirement by corporate buyouts, overlooked for training and promotions, typecast by younger managers as past their prime. Indeed, one 2005 study found that job applicants under age 50 were 42% more likely to be called for interviews than those over 50. Yet there may be early glimmers of change. The oldest baby boomers are entering their 60s, raising the prospect of a vast wave of retirements. The post-World War II baby boom, moreover, was followed by a smaller "baby bust" generation. As a result, some employers are worried that they will lose too many people -- and are pioneering policies to make the workplace more friendly to older employees.