For those who are under 65 years old, slightly more are in managerial and professional positions. Others are in service occupations and in craft and repair. A minority are employed as manual laborers or in the farming, forestry and fishing industries. Indeed, these figures point to a growing trend for Americans who are opting for a "working retirement.".

             The changing age demographic has had significant effects on employers and the various industries. Many companies are responding by setting up a Casual Worker Program, one that allows them to hire workers who would then receive limited benefits and no pensions. Others use older workers as trainers, while others make a strong effort to integrate older and younger workers into teams (Reeves 2005). This means that many employers will see a greater age diversity in their companies. Many employers also find re-hiring previous workers more financially advantageous, compared to investing time and resources to train new recruits.

             High-risk industries such as oil and mining will be even more affected by a workforce that is diverse in age. Thus, many of these industries are exploring the possibility of part-time positions, for workers wishing to engage in a "working retirement." Experts such as Lesser (2006) further suggest that high-risk companies could find alternative employment programs for its mature workers. These alternatives could include positions such as safety consultants or trainers. This way, companies are able to benefit from the years of experience of their employees.

             Differences in skills and abilities.

             Whether justified or not, the age of a worker strongly influences perceptions regarding his or her performance. In a study of employers, Glover (2001) finds that many employers value the experience, skills, work ethic and commitment to quality that many of their old workers bring to the job. Unfortunately, older workers are also likely to be stereotyped as inflexible to new ways of doing things and are seen as reluctant to adapt to new technology.