Respect Your Elders Training tailored for older workers

Now that 65- to 69-year-olds are able to work as much as theywant without losing their Social Security benefits, expect to seemore seniors in the labor market. What do you need to know abouttraining and integrating seniors into your organization? Thefollowing tips will help you gain the maximum benefit from olderworkers on your team:

Get rid of yourstereotypes. Don't write off older people as senile,stubborn and set in their ways. "Older workers may actually'get it' faster than other workers," says SusanGebelein, executive vice president with Personnel DecisionsInternational, a Minneapolis management consulting firm.

Don't teach them whatthey already know. Though many seniors, particularlywomen, are just now entering the workplace, the majority have yearsof experience. "They have a lot of the basic job skills. Youdon't need to teach them those things," says Gebelein.