ABSTRACT
Older employees are often marginalized if they are not given a chance to take an active part in organizational changes and technology training. Experience from a Danish company shows, however, that older employees can satisfy the demands that arise with changes on equal terms with their younger colleagues. In connection with the introduction of an advanced production control system, the company carried out a 12-week training course for 120 operators, of whom 20 were over 50 years of age. The operators were divided into 18 production groups with extended autonomy. The older operators were afraid of participating in the change process. Positive expectations from the surroundings helped eliminate their worries and liberated their resources for active participation in the changes. The older operators stabilize the production group's function though they are not the fiery souls of the development. They are equal members of the production groups and, therefore, have to participate in the training on how to use the new machines, take on the coordination of the group's work, participate in the employment and introduction of new operators, man the machines and develop the group's work-related and social life.
