Older worker policies draw accolade from state
Courtesy Mathews Bros. Co.
Lois McIntyre, an employee at the Belfast-based Mathews Bros. Co., applying backbedding to a putty-glazed window. The company says it has achieved efficiency on par with what machined window companies produced, despite using a process that's nearly the same as those used in 1854.
The average age of a worker at Belfast window maker Mathews Bros. is 57. But rather than seeing advancing years as a liability in its work force, the company views older workers as assets.
“In April, we’ll celebrate 160 years in business,” says Anne Cleveland, HR manager. “All of our windows are made by hand. When others opted for machines, we kept the emphasis on workers. Our staff is so efficient that we don’t lose value.”
Experience is a big part of the efficiency that produces roughly 1,000 window units a day — on par with what machined window companies produce, says Cleveland. It’s also why the company invests in the well-being of its older workers, offering services and support that drew the attention of Maine’s Department of Labor, which recently rewarded Matthews Bros. a Silver Collar award.
The award recognizes companies with policies and practices that match the needs of mature workers, according to the State Workforce Investment Board, which oversees the annual recognition. Also honored this year were Erda, a leather goods manufacturer in Cambridge, and Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems in Bangor.
At Mathews Bros., many baby-boom workers are dealing with caregiving issues around their parents. The company accommodates flexible work schedules to help workers take care of their families. It also retains a financial planner available to employees free of charge to help them plan for retirement and long-term care and other issues related to aging.
“For many of our employees, this was their first job out of high school and they have remarkable skills and expertise,” says Cleveland. “We do a lot of cross-training [to share that expertise], and we have a mentoring program with younger workers to teach them not only the technical skills and craftsmanship, but general work skills as well.”
Among the company’s 135 workers are five who are older than 70. Cleveland says they remain highly productive and are valued by their co-workers as well as management.
According to Maine’s DOL, 46% of Maine’s private industry workers and almost 62% of government workers are at least 45 years old. Within the next 20 years, at least 40% of the current work force for most sectors will be 65 or older.
According to Julie Rabinowitz, communications director for the Maine DOL, among the reasons EMHS was selected was its benefits package, which offers options that older workers might prefer, such as phased retirement. EMHS offers part-time work with pro-rated benefits and flexible work schedules, which also help older workers. Also, employee training includes technical and computer training, which older workers often need. EMHS also offers workplace accommodations and promotional opportunities that recognize that their older employees still value career advancement.
Flexibility is a hallmark of Erda, where its 10 workers are all over 50. In addition to flexible benefits, alternative work schedules and workplace accommodations, workers have keys and can work whatever hours they want, according to Rabinowitz. Training opportunities include mentoring, cross-training, peer and individualized training, and job rotation, which keeps employees highly skilled and interested in their work.
“There are certain issues related to aging that you just have to be aware of,” says Cleveland. “With our older workers, we make sure we check-in daily and try to stay on top of any health issues. But we would be lost without them.”
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