For the seventh year, AARP is honoring innovative employers that have created welcoming workplaces for their 50-plus employees.
For the seventh year, AARP is honoring innovative employers that have created welcoming workplaces for their 50-plus employees. This time around, we included a twist in the selection process: In addition to each employer's submitting an almost 60-page application detailing the company's benefits and employment practices, older employees got to add their two cents in the form of an anonymous survey. The results confirmed our suspicions: The winning employers are listening to their valued 50-plus workers and adding perks and programs tailored to their unique needs. With that in mind, we present our Top 10 for 2007. (Find 40 additional companies honored by AARP for valuing older workers on AARP The Magazine Online.)
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Search by Company | Search by Industry1. SC Johnson
Racine, Wis.
Consumer Products
3,297 employees; 35 percent 50+ (28 percent of managers, 38 percent of executives)
Recruiting Practices: 3
Training and Development: 5
Health Benefits: 5
Pension Plans: 4
Alternative Work Arrangements: 4
It's easy to wax poetic about the ways multinational SC Johnson proves its commitment to helping employees maintain a healthy work-life balance, starting with compressed work schedules, paid sabbaticals, summer hours, and a December ''holiday shutdown.'' And if all that weren't enough employees, retirees, and their families can stay in shape at the Johnson Mutual Benefits Association/Wellness Center, which offers a multitude of recreation and fitness programs (retiree bonus: no dues).
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2. Mercy Health System
Janesville, Wis.
Health Care
3,721 employees; 28 percent 50+ (32 percent of managers, 91 percent of executives)
Recruiting Practices: 5
Training and Development: 5
Health Benefits: 4
Pension Plans: 4
Alternative Work Arrangements: 4
We especially admire the way Mercy looks out for its workers' health. For example, it recently increased the number of paid-in-full screenings available to employees who seek health care within the system's facilities. Another impressive perk: Mercy has a free concierge program that will secure services such as home cleaning, car repair, and dry cleaning; arrange trips and vacations; and obtain tickets to area attractions, often at a discount.
*Bernard E. Nash Award for Innovation recipient for its flexible-scheduling options.
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3. First Horizon National Corporation
Memphis, Tenn.
Financial Services
12,208 employees; 23 percent 50+ (24 percent of managers, 36 percent of executives)
Recruiting Practices: 5
Training and Development: 5
Health Benefits: 5
Pension Plans: 5
Alternative Work Arrangements: 5
Forward-thinking First Horizon helps employees 50 and older prepare for retirement by pairing them with a Retiree Employee Services Relationship Manager (ESRM), who reviews the individual employee's situation and helps evaluate how such factors as years of service and age at retirement will impact benefits and finances in retirement. Retirees who have questions are welcome to turn to their ESRM for answers and guidance. For employees who want to ease into retirement rather than quit work cold turkey, First Horizon allows workers with at least one year of service to trim their workweek down to 20 to 32 hours and still receive full benefits.
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4. Scripps Health
San Diego
Health Care
11,119 employees; 31 percent 50+ (42 percent of managers, 69 percent of executives)
Recruiting Practices: 5
Training and Development: 5
Health Benefits: 4
Pension Plans: 5
Alternative Work Arrangements: 5
This year marks the third time Scripps has landed in our Top 10. The secret behind this consistently high performance? Scripps surveys its employees and acts on their suggestions for improvement. One recent result: a new tax-free retiree health account, which allows employees to save pretax dollars that won't be taxed later if used for health care expenses in retirement.
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5. Stanley Consultants
Muscatine, Iowa
Consulting Services
1,018 employees; 30 percent 50+ (47 percent of managers, 44 percent of executives)
Recruiting Practices: 3
Training and Development: 4
Health Benefits: 5
Pension Plans: 2
Alternative Work Arrangements: 3
Stanley bends over backward to give its employees scheduling options, recently adding a new Personal Time Off program that combines vacation and sick leave into one account so employees can use their paid time off in the way that works best for them. Retirement is also flexible at Stanley -- about 75 percent of retiring employees take advantage of the phased retirement program, which is tailored to each individual.
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6. Lee Memorial Health System
Fort Myers, Fla.
Health Care
8,595 employees; 37 percent 50+ (48 percent of managers, 48 percent of executives)
Recruiting Practices: 5
Training and Development: 5
Health Benefits: 4
Pension Plans: 3
Alternative Work Arrangements: 5
Older workers scaling back their hours have a champion in Lee Memorial. While most companies require employees to work at least 20 hours a week to get benefits such as health insurance and tuition reimbursement, Lee Memorial provides these to employees who work as few as 16 hours a week.
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7. Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Regional Hospital
Leesburg, Fla.
Health Care
2,658 employees; 38 percent 50+ (40 percent of managers, 56 percent of executives)
Recruiting Practices: 5
Training and Development: 5
Health Benefits: 3
Pension Plans: 3
Alternative Work Arrangements: 5
LRMC/TVRH offers its employees an impressive range of alternative work schedules. One example: The ''summers off'' program allows workers to spend their winters in the Sunshine State and head to cooler climes for the hottest months of the year -- participating employees work for nine months and get three months off while retaining their benefits and job security.
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