This episode of Dreams with Deadlines with Host Jenny Herald showcases the work of two dynamic women – each with a complementary area of expertise – who have joined forces to address how over-50 workers factor into the future of our global economy. Dominique Ben Dhaou and Ellen Kocher, co-authors of "Wake-Up, Shake-Up, Thrive!: How to Lift Up Your Life in Your 50’s and Beyond — Swiss Secrets to Not Growing Old," share with us their strategies for retaining older employees and building a sustainable framework for helping corporations of all sizes keep their organization’s healthy and nimble.Key things discussed
The fact that only 8% of companies internationally have included age in their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives.
Why it’s critical that we embrace a five-generation workplace model.
The five dimensions of mental and physical health that corporate leaders and individual employees should be addressing.
Why measuring efficiencies in the workplace is a holistic exercise, requiring a systematic assessment and trackable, qualitative measures.
The co-authors’ book, "Wake-Up, Shake-Up, Thrive!: How to Lift Up Your Life in Your 50’s and Beyond — Swiss Secrets to Not Growing Old."

Show Notes
[00:02:16] Introducing two women who are using their complementary talents to reshape workplace cultures with their vision for creating sustainable, purposeful employment for people of all ages.
[00:03:06] About the huge demographic shifts that will impact the workplace of the (not-so-distant) future and how Dominique and Ellen are leveraging their decades of experience to help corporations navigate with customized, structured action plans.
[00:06:47] A closer look at the challenges posed by a rapidly aging Western workforce, including impacts to productivity and availability of skilled workers.
[00:08:10] Why embracing a five-generation workforce is relevant and its implications:
Businesses are suffering the economic consequences of an insufficient supply of employees with the skills and competencies to serve clients.
Older team members often feel disengaged, disenfranchised or dis-incented.
Misconceptions and biases tend to flourish if left unchecked.
Retaining (and respecting) older workers communicates a psychologically safe workplace which can cultivate loyalty in younger workers as well.


[00:16:50] How Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives include age in only eight percent of companies globally. The bright spot: 75% of CEOs recognize the importance of managing age diversity.
[00:17:29] Looking at the many workplace stressors and how mental health and wellbeing have come to the fore as corporate and social priorities.
[00:20:54] Breaking down the five dimensions of well-being and how they sustain(or undermine) workplace cultures. Those elements include:
Physical.
Emotional.
Intellectual.
Spiritual.
Financial.


[00:29:52] How Dominique and Ellen help companies embed employee actualization within overall corporate goals and outcomes. It starts with the checklist they have developed based on their combined decades of experience, including questions like:
What are you doing?
Are you happy with it?
What are you not doing?
Is it important to you or not?
How do we create a roadmap that embeds those in corporate cultural priorities?
What bottom-line impacts will these necessary changes have?


[00:32:43] How Dominique and Ellen’s dynamic, nimble, hands-on approach builds bridges to change at every level of the enterprise while anticipating business impacts.
[00:35:42] Measuring for Efficiencies: A study has shown that companies – large and small, regardless of nation or origin – are wasting 51.5% of payroll every month due to  factors like operational dysfunction or disaffection among workers.
[00:39:23] Case Study: Ellen shares the powerful example of how a bank in Geneva used the five dimensions to shift the mindsets of employees who, feeling undervalued by their employer, had been taking their assets elsewhere upon retirement