After a conference, Zoe Ridenour asked me a timely question: how do you design a fitness-for-duty program for physically demanding jobs without discriminating against an aging workforce? With 37.9 million workers aged 55 and over as of March 2025, it’s a challenge many face. The key is to focus on ability, not age—start with a clear job analysis, frame it around safety, and document everything with written guidelines to ensure fairness and compliance.
Host Wendy Sellers is joined by Zoe Ridenour, HR Manager at Kwest Group, to tackle a timely and important question: how can organizations create effective fitness-for-duty programs that ensure safety without discriminating based on age? Sparked by a thoughtful conversation at a recent conference, this episode dives into best practices for job mobility assessments, particularly for physically demanding roles and an aging workforce. With 37.9 million workers aged 55 and over in the U.S. as of March 2025, this issue affects a growing segment of the workforce.
Wendy and Zoe discuss the critical importance of starting with a solid job analysis, framing programs around “ability” instead of “age,” and establishing clear, written guidelines to ensure fairness and legal compliance.
Guest Contact Information:Zoe Ridenour, HR Manager, Kwest Group
LinkedIn: Zoe Ridenour
- Episode #462 :: Monday May 19, 2025 - Designing Mobility and Fitness-for-Duty Programs for an Aging Workforce
