Hot Jobs 2006

It's the sixth year AARP has set out to honor great employers that welcome workers over 50, and we've made some happy discoveries: eight of our Top 10 companies are comeback kids from 2005, and six shot up the chart from their positions last year. Just look at Volkswagen, which jumped impressively from 39 to 6. How did these companies do it? By listening to their older workers and then adding even more benefits with real appeal, raising the bar for innovation. Ladies and gentlemen, our Top 10, followed by 40 more honorees.

1. Mercy Health System, Janesville, Wisconsin
Health Care
3,542 employees; 28% over 50 (30% of managers, 89% of executives)

Recruiting Practices: 4
Training and Development: 5
Health Benefits: 4
Pension Plans: 4
Alternative Work Arrangements: 4

Mercy just missed our Top 10 list in 2005, placing 11th. One program that helped it stand out this year? Senior Connection, a network for employees and retirees 55-plus that provides prescription-drug discount cards, financial counseling, and health insurance—all free. We also love Mercy's flexible work options. Some favorites: the Weekender Program, which lets nurses take weekdays off, and the Traveler Option, which offers temporary assignments with full benefits included.

2. Lee Memorial Health System, Fort Myers, Florida
Health Care
6,740 employees; 35% over 50 (45% of managers, 59% of executives)

Recruiting Practices: 5
Training and Development: 3
Health Benefits: 4
Pension Plans: 5

Workers at Lee Memorial can enroll in a seasonal months-off program, which lets them work six months of each year but receive health insurance and life insurance year-round. Employees might use the time off to pursue a degree—last year the hospital's tuition-reimbursement plan paid more than $621,000 in educational-assistance benefits. Another perk: participants in the Health Make-Over Program can get certain prescription drugs free for one year.
Bernard E. Nash Award for Innovation recipient for its flexible scheduling options and alternative work arrangements. †

Ratings Guide

AARP evaluated each employer's performance on a range of workforce practices beneficial to older workers. The five key criteria that follow were rated from 1 (worst) to 5 (best). These criteria, along with other qualities, influenced each employer's overall ranking.

Recruiting practices We noted how companies seek older workers. Some measures: Are ads placed in publications targeting diverse age groups? Do materials appeal to workers of all ages?

Training and Development An important part of any job is keeping skills sharp. AARP evaluated the companies' skill-enhancing programs as well as how proactive companies were in encouraging workers to take part. Ditto for perks such as tuition assistance. T&D ratings also took into account whether the employer regularly conducts employee-opinion surveys and provides opportunities for new experiences, such as cross-training and temporary assignments.

Health Benefits We assessed each company's medical, prescription-drug, vision, and dental insurance coverage, including the percentage of the premium workers must pay and whether these benefits are offered to part-time workers and retirees. We also looked for extras such as long-term care insurance.

Pension Plans Key measures: Do the companies offer traditional defined-benefit plans and/or defined-contribution plans? Do they have other financial incentives such as stock options or profit sharing? Do they offer resources to help workers make informed decisions about retirement savings?

Alternative Work Arrangements We looked for opportunities such as telecommuting and flextime, which are particularly important to workers with caregiving responsibilities. Another grade booster: phased retirement, in which employees receive benefits while working fewer hours.

3. Bon Secours Richmond Health System, Richmond, Virginia Health Care
5,748 employees; 30% over 50 (39% of managers, 50% of executives)

Recruiting Practices: 3
Training and Development: 4
Health Benefits: 5
Pension Plans: 5
Alternative Work Arrangements: 5

Bon Secours augmented its employee services this year with a six-week retirement-planning course, a wellness program targeting older employees, and a Caring for Caregivers program complete with support groups. The hospital offers college scholarships for kids and grandkids of employees, and its Weight Watchers at Work program has helped some 1,700 employees lose more than 11,000 pounds.
Bernard E. Nash Award for Innovation recipient for its efforts to provide work opportunities for its retirees. †

Recruiting Practices: 5
Training and Development: 5
Health Benefits: 3
Pension Plans: 5
Alternative Work Arrangements: 4

Located in a senior community, The Villages Regional Hospital recruits the nearby retired workforce by providing benefits for part-time work and alternative work options, such as compressed scheduling and flexible hours. Forty percent of workers take advantage of compressed scheduling. Proof that LRMC/TVRH's strategy for increasing its older workforce is paying off? A hefty 40 percent of the company's employees are 50-plus, including 33 percent of its recent hires.

5. Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
Health Care
6,486 employees; 26% over 50 (44% of managers, 69% of executives)

Recruiting Practices: 5
Training and Development: 5
Health Benefits: 4
Pension Plans: 4
Alternative Work Arrangements: 4

Yale-New Haven worked this year to improve its health benefits. The package now includes lower-cost prescription drugs, added coverage for civil-union partners, and no-cost medical coverage based on need. Recruiting practices at YNHH are also noteworthy: the Senior Aides Program offers training and development for locals ages 55 and older; this provides a labor pool for the hospital.

6. Volkswagen of America, Inc., Auburn Hills, Michigan
Motor Vehicle Production
2,421 employees; 24% over 50 (31% of managers, 53% of executives)

Recruiting Practices: 4
Training and Development: 5
Health Benefits: 5
Pension Plans: 3
Alternative Work Arrangements: 3

Volkswagen puts a premium on employee health by offering wellness programs, from health-club discounts and smoking-cessation programs to flu shots and stress-management training. A flexible spending account provides mature employees with the option to allocate $5,000 in pretax earnings to eldercare needs, and VW retirees are invited to return to the company for part-time and contract work.

7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Education—Postsecondary
10,858 employees; 36% over 50 (50% of managers, 92% of executives)

Recruiting Practices: 4
Training and Development: 4
Health Benefits: 5
Pension Plans: 5
Alternative Work Arrangements: 4

MIT employees are eligible for $5,250 in tuition reimbursement each year, and retirees can apply for scholarships of up to $1,000 a year. MIT's financial benefits also can't be beat: its 401(k) plan matches employee contributions dollar for dollar up to 5 percent of compensation. The MIT Retirees Association provides retirees with opportunities to stay connected to the university through seminars, trips, and the MIT Senior Focus newsletter.

8. Oakwood Healthcare System Inc., Dearborn, Michigan
Health Care
9,766 employees; 30% over 50 (43% of managers, 66% of executives)

Recruiting Practices: 5
Training and Development: 5
Health Benefits: 5
Pension Plans: 5
Alternative Work Arrangements: 4

Number 22 on our list last year, Oakwood shot up an impressive 14 places, just by listening to its employees. In response to a worker-satisfaction survey, the hospital beefed up its health coverage and increased its flexible work options. A whopping 36 percent of Oakwood employees take advantage of its new compressed work schedule or flextime.

9. First Horizon National Corporation, Memphis, Tennessee
Financial Services
13,289 employees; 21% over 50 (22% of managers, 35% of executives)

Recruiting Practices: 5
Training and Development: 4
Health Benefits: 5
Pension Plans: 3
Alternative Work Arrangements: 5

First Horizon strives to make its environment comfortable for older employees by providing on-site accommodations such as ergonomic chairs, large-screen computer monitors, and closer parking spaces for older or disabled workers on a case-by-case basis. One of FH's more innovative programs: a partnership with the Mayo Clinic that offers FH employees and retirees access to a free 24-hour nurse line.

10. Hoffmann-La Roche Inc., Nutley, New Jersey
Pharmaceuticals
4,704 employees; 31% over 50 (34% of managers, 38% of executives)

Recruiting Practices: 5
Training and Development: 4
Health Benefits: 5
Pension Plans: 2
Alternative Work Arrangements: 5

Our favorite Hoffmann-La Roche program? Intergenerational Care, in which grandparents are paid to visit the on-site daycare facility and share activities from their youth. A flexible spending account lets workers put aside pretax dollars for eldercare expenses.

† Bernard E. Nash Award for Innovation This annual award is presented to companies whose creative and forward-thinking practices are designed to truly benefit the 50+ worker.

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