More Americans are working past age 65—and that’s good news for employers

What caught my attention is Interestingly, Ary·successMore Americans are working past age 65—and that’s good news for employersBy Martha BoudreauBy Martha Boudreau A record number of employees are entering their fifth, sixth, even seventh decade of work

On the other hand, Getty ImagesOnce upon a time, the trajectory of a working life was : You put in decades at a company, hoping to methodically work your way up the ranks until you hit the age of 65, when they gave you a gold watch and a pat on the back and you rode off into the sunset

Well, maybe it was never quite that way, but that was the expectation of many workers and even a lot of employers

Additionally, Today, there are five generations working side by side in the workplace, including boomers and Gen Xers

In fact, one in five people 65 or older in the U

Nevertheless, Are in the workforce, more than double the number from 35 years ago, according to the Pew Re Center

People change jobs—even careers—so frequently that few pursue a linear path in any one place (this bears monitoring)

For employees, this can mean a good amount of flexibility and the mise of a longer, more varied career, in today's financial world

For employers, it means coming to a better understanding of the value that older workers can bring to an organization

With a record number of employees entering their fifth, sixth, even seventh decade of work, companies that can figure out the advantages that these employees vide will have a leg up when it comes to building smarter, more nimble and more effective teams

Moreover, Here are some things to keep in mind when thinking how older employees can imve your workplace: ‘Soft skills’ are anything but soft With more diversity in age and background in workplaces, the “soft skills” of managing people and relationships are crucial

Additionally, On the other hand, As offices continue to negotiate a complex set of hybrid, remote, and in-person arrangements, the ability to communicate with colleagues and understand their best ways of working has never been more important (something worth watching)

People who are just starting out in their careers, notably members of Gen Z, may have lost up to two years of traditional onboarding, networking, and relationship-building because of the pandemic, in today's financial world

However, Those with decades of experience under their belts are often best positioned to help manage and oversee the important human element to ensuring harmonious and ductive teams

Adaptability is more important than ever New nologies AI are transforming the way people perform their jobs, making it necessary for everyone to learn unfamiliar skills, given current economic conditions

People once spoke of “digital natives” having an advantage when it comes to certain types of, but no one is an AI native

Whether you’re 22 or 72, the speed with which AI has entered our s means we’re all being forced to adapt

Older workers today have had to become expert adapters—to the personal computer in the ’80s, the internet in the ’90s, and the rise of social media in the past 20 years

This leads to the conclusion that y have faced an unprecedented and unrelenting demand to embrace the new

AI may ve to be one of the great generational level-setters

Conversely, Never stop recruiting People are staying in the workforce longer but they’re not necessarily staying at the same place (an important development)

Many employers still harbor biases toward older workers and cut their career paths short as they apach 60 (fascinating analysis)

Moreover, This analysis suggests that can be a gift to an employer not hampered by the tunnel vision of ageism, given the current landscape

There's talent on the marketplace in the form of workers over 50, over 60, and beyond, in today's financial world

As people enter different life stages, they are looking for different things out of their careers, in this volatile climate

The evidence shows ir children grow up and move out; they sell a and move to a new place; they get divorced and remarry

On the other hand, People over 60 may be open to a range of career options even broader than when they were younger

That openness, combined with their experience, can give employers great options when it comes to maximizing talent throughout their organization

However, Bottom line The workforce is more multigenerational than ever, and employers who seize on the opportunities created by this new reality will benefit

Nevertheless, Those willing to embrace the value that older workers vide will have a competitive advantage

Martha Boudreau is the chief marketing and communications officer at AARP

More must-read ary published by Fortune: Why I’m still working at the age of 73—and yes, I know that sounds horrible to many I’m nearing 65 and am better than ever at my job

With more boomers opting not to retire, I’m not alone I’m a CEO and 12 of my employees are in ‘flextirement, in light of current trends. ’ With boomers opting not to retire, the arrangement will become more common The new retirement is no retirement: Baby boomers are keeping jobs well into their sixties and seventies because they ‘ going to work’ The opinions expressed in Fortune

Com ary pieces are solely the views of their and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune

Explore this year's list.