The Aging Workforce is Changing the Demand for Technology that is Accessible

REDMOND, Wash. — Oct. 5, 2006 — The global workforce is turning gray, and keeping aging workers on the job is becoming a priority in the United States as well as many European and Asian countries. For example, by 2010, the majority of people in the United States will be 45 years old or older, a change that represents a major turning point for the US population demographic.* There simply aren't enough workers to replace all of the older workers if they retire, and their cumulative knowledge and experience is a huge part of the intellectual capital of many businesses and nations worldwide.

Fortunately, the trend we're seeing is that many workers in their 50s and 60s are more interested in reinventing themselves in midlife than in retiring. As they near retirement age, they are looking for new opportunities, not a rocking chair. At the same time, many older workers are experiencing age-related physiological changes, such as diminished vision, hearing, dexterity and flexibility, which impact their computer use, and the use of a computer is essential in today's workforce.

For example, imagine how difficult it might be for someone with arthritis or repetitive use injury to use a standard mouse or keyboard, but that same person may not have any difficulty using a trackball or voice recognition software.

Technology is a great leveler, and it can assist people whether they are working full-time or part-time, starting a new business or going back to school to prepare themselves for an entirely new career. Accessible technology—originally intended to enable people with severe disabilities such as blindness to learn and work—can remove workplace barriers, increase employment opportunities for many older workers, and offer them greater access to information and online services.

People born after World War II have high expectations for technology. People in their 50s and 60s today currently use computers in the workplace at a higher rate than people now in their 60s and 70s did at earlier ages. As current 55- to 64-year-olds mature into their 60s and 70s, they will continue to use computers.* This is a generation that grew up with technology and expects a computer to just work in the same way that a cell phone, television or a toaster "just works". Technology needs to adapt to our needs, not the other way around.

At Microsoft, we're aware of the shifts taking place in the workforce and are working to ensure our products address the needs of an older workforce. This generation doesn't see themselves as having limitations, but will choose products that meet their individual needs and preferences. I'm the same way. I had knee surgery because of sports injuries, so it is sometimes hard for me to get in and out of certain cars because of the angle. I don't think of that as a disability or even a physical limitation, but I choose to buy cars that are easy for me to enter and exit. It's a key differentiator, which I consider in my purchasing decision.

Current trends show that more and more people of all ages are using computing devices to access the Internet. The online age gap is closing quickly, not only in the United States but also in Europe and Asia. In the United States, 30 percent of people age 65 and older are currently online searching for Web sites or using email. In the next five years, that percentage will nearly double. In approximately the same timeframe, 75 percent of the U.S. population and 60 percent of Europe's population will be online.

All over the world, an increasing number of people are researching products, comparing prices, making purchases, and accessing government services. We must understand the needs of this diverse online community, and how we can make the tools and technology more accessible and easier to use. Meanwhile businesses or organizations need to attract and retain workers by providing them the tools and technology that makes their tasks easier to perform—and that's where Microsoft can help.

Microsoft includes people from across a wide range of ages in our usability research and focus groups, because we want to hear directly from many different types of users how we can improve our products and enhance their computing experience. This diversity is an important part of our research and hiring practices at Microsoft, and ultimately helps us to better understand our customers' needs to ensure that we are building technology for everyone.