The Governors Advisory Council on Aging, in partnership with Jobing.com, developed a website to provide information to employers recruiting mature workers and mature job seekers looking for employment opportunities. Up-to-date listings of certified employers, employment opportunities, resources for mature workers and employers, community events and job fairs can be found on the Arizona Mature Worker Job Bank and Resource Website at www.azmatureworkers.com.

There are many benefits for employers that become Mature Worker Friendly Certified, including the free use of the Mature Worker Friendly logo on employer's materials and website. Employers also receive increased company visibility by being listed on the Mature Worker Website, special rates at job fairs hosted by one of the Initiatives community partners, and recognition as a 'friendly' work environment when recruiting seniors as volunteers.

Employers interested in obtaining Mature Worker Friendly Employer Certification in 2010 may now apply. After the 2010 application time period closes on July 16, 2010, it will not re-open until the summer of 2011. Due to the limited number of slots for the required employer training program, applications will be processed on a first come, first served basis.

In order to receive the Arizona Mature Worker Friendly Certification, an employer will be required to:

1. Complete the application; and
2. Have the company's executive sign the Employer Pledge; and
3. Complete the required (2.5-hour) training (available on-line); and
4. Agree to biennial training and reassessment

As noted, the application is one component of the certification process. After the submission of the application, the employer will be asked to provide a CEO (or equivalent) signed copy of the Employer Pledge as part of the application process. A formal and completed Employer Pledge, suitable for posting in the workplace, will be provided to the applicant at the conclusion of the certification process.

The site also provides a listing of many of the Employers that have become Certified Mature Worker Friendly Employers.

Did you know that Google started out with only a handful of employees working in a suburban garage in 1998? Today, the company has more than 20,000 workers in offices located throughout the world. And the company founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, credit much of their success to Google's quirky office culture that breaks so many business norms.

Could you learn some lessons from companies like Google that think outside of the box when it comes to the workplace? They've seen positive results including increased creativity, productivity and employee retention, so you might, too.

A few ways you can retool your workplace include:

• Rethinking office design. Consider opening closed cubicles so teams can work together. Also, do you really need "hard offices" or could some walls come down to make more room for everyone?
• Offering the right amenities. Are your break rooms stocked with healthy snacks to keep your staff energized? And, having centrally-located cafeterias may foster on-the-fly meetings and spark better collaboration among team members.
• Providing stressbusters. Perks like foozball, pianos, and weight rooms can help everyone stay motivated. (At Google, it's not uncommon to see exercise balls rolling through the halls.)
• Cultivating creativity. Whirlpool Corporation invites staff from all areas of the company to contribute ideas for new products. And Google supports an "Innovation Time Off" program that encourages workers to spend part of each week on projects that interest them. Gmail and AdSense were born of this program.

Want to learn more about innovative strategies for your office? Visit these links:

• The Google Culture (Google.com)
• Making the Workplace Fun (AllBusiness.com)
• Why Office Design Matters (Harvard Business School)
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Open Plan Offices (BYOB.com)
• Top Small Workplaces 2008 (Wall Street Journal)

Did you know that America's workforce is getting older? It's true. From 1977 to 2007, the federal government says that workers age 65 and over increased by 101%. Further, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that, over the next seven years, workers age 55 to 64 will increase by 36.5%, and workers 65 and up will soar by more than 80%.

But are companies prepared for what happens when their most experienced people retire, and there are fewer younger workers to take their place?

Forward thinkers see this as an opportunity for savvy companies. The Wall Street Journal has suggestions about how to keep senior staff (see Aging Your Workforce) while continuing to benefit from their knowledge and experience. The article says that older employees "may be more likely to stay with their companies if they can improve their work-life balance, perhaps by having the flexibility to attend a grandchild's school play or care for an ill spouse."

Making your company a comfortable environment for the older worker can help preserve your competitive edge. Some of the ways to achieve this include allowing for telecommuting, flextime, and job-sharing-perks that are attractive to employees of any age. Today's older worker might also prefer to shed some responsibilities. Flexibility and an open mind can create a win-win situation. Consider an idea like this: A senior member of your staff teaches some of her skills to a younger worker, so that she can focus on her other tasks, enabling the two people to job-share.

For more information on this topic, check out the following links:

• Arizona Mature Workforce Initiative
• Arizona Mature Workers blog
• AARP Assessment Tool Helps Employers Prepare for Aging Workforce (AARP)
• Arizona Certifies 'Mature Worker Friendly' Employers (Encore Careers)
• The Older Worker Advantage (VitaNeedle.com)
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Spotlight Highlights Trends towards More Older Workers (Aging Workforce News)

Is Twitter just a tool for soccer moms and teenagers who want to feel connected? Maybe it once was, but not any more.

Twitter is now a secret weapon for businesses of all kinds. If you spend a few minutes on Twitter, you're likely to encounter elected officials, movie stars, news anchors, huge corporations, and small businesses, just like yours. And they're all there, tweeting away, 140 characters at a time.

What does Twitter offer your company? With Twitter, you can connect to hundreds or even thousands of people who are interested in you and then build trust with them.

How does it work? Twitter is easy to use, and it can be free. If you use Twitter on your computer on the web, there is no charge. Charges occur only if you use Twitter on a cell phone or another device where you pay for access.

To sign up for Twitter, go to www.Twitter.com. As you sign up, choose a name that identifies your business. You may have to try several possibilities to find one that's available. Keep it short, because on Twitter, every keystroke matters! And keep it pronounceable and memorable.

On the Twitter website you can also create an avatar for your business, which could be your company logo or maybe a photo of your face. An avatar is a small, nearly square graphic that will be your "face" to the Twitter world. It's one of the ways that people will recognize and remember you. You don't have to upload a photo, because Twitter provides a generic avatar. But a small business needs to be noticed, so your own avatar is best.

Once you have a Twitter account, you can start tweeting, which means to type a message that's only up to 140 characters long. What can you use Twitter for? The answers are amazingly varied:

• Do business-to-business networking. Start building relationships with people who might be your future suppliers or team members.
• Take straw polls. Post a question and see what answers you get. For example, "Which do you prefer: 10% off on an order over $100, or free shipping?"
• Announce a new update to your website or the launch of a new product.
• Find prospective employees. There are many job-hunters there.

Do you have to be on Twitter? Certainly not. But you can be sure that many of your competitors are! To learn more about harnessing the power of 140 characters, see these links:

• A Twitter Basics Primer (Livingstonbuzz.com)
• 25 Small Business Twitter Tips (Kyle Lacey)
• Glossary of Twitter Terminology (Michael Kwan)
• Twitter Etiquette: Five Dos and Don'ts: (CIO.com)

If you search business magazines and the Internet, you can find many answers to the question, "What's your greatest asset?" As a small or mid-sized business owner, you might read that it's your company name, your "brand," your reputation, or your customer list.

Yes, all those things are important to a company's success. But there's another answer that is, perhaps, the most compelling of all: It's people. In particular, it's your employees.

If you have even one or two employees, and they are trustworthy, productive, and dedicated, then they are quite possibly the most valuable aspect of your business. Your customers know and rely on them. You certainly rely on them. Together, you function as the total repository of "corporate knowledge" that your company runs on.
What draws good employees to small businesses? One perk is the opportunity to be a big fish in a small pond, as explained in Small Business: Employees Can Be the Greatest Asset (HomeOffice.Today.com). Also important is the greater feeling of company loyalty and connectedness that the employees might find in a smaller business.

As for keeping good employees, one of the best techniques is training. In effect, by training an employee well, you may be growing a future partner or possibly even someone to pass the business to when you're ready to retire. For a selection of informative articles on training, see Training-More Than Paying Lip Service to Your Greatest Asset (SmallBizTrends.com).

For more tips on protecting your greatest asset, check out Create a Winning Employee Retention Strategy (SmallBusinessReview.com).