Catalyze August 2022

CREATING RIPPLING
EFFECTS IN AN AGING
WORKFORCE
DR. JEAN ACCIUS
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
AARP
George Sifakis:
What are some of the most pressing issues that those individuals over 50 are facing
today?
Dr. Jean Accius:
First of all, thank you so much, George, for being a card-carrying member of AARP.
Hopefully, we are doing you a service and representing you well. You are an amazing
example of how aging, particularly in the U.S., looks good. And as I tell people all the
time, as you get older, there is wisdom, experience, and value that comes with that. So
embrace it. With respect to some of the major issues that I know and think we're all
grappling with, particularly in this current climate as it relates to the impact on people
over the age of 50 in the U.S., there are clearly huge economic implications. We're seeing
increases in terms of inflation and increases in terms of the cost of goods and services,
which disproportionately impact those that have a limited and fixed income. So really
thinking about the opportunities to ensure that people have the economic means to
match their life aspirations is something that we're doing very intentionally at AARP. The
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other area that is of critical importance for people over the age of 50 -and frankly for
workers of all ages - is really thinking about the changing labor market and whether it's
IdeagenMember.com
the Great Resignation, the Great Reshuffle, the Great Reflection, the Great Reorientation;
whatever the Great is, what we do know is the fact that a lot has changed over the last
two plus years and counting, and we need to think about how we leverage the skills and
the insights and the wisdom of a multi-generational workforce. Many companies are
managing five generations at any point in time.
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