Lots of older workers are staying in the workforce pastwhat should have been their retirement day, and their numbers are expectedto grow—confronting both them and their employers with the dilemmaof how to proceed in, and with, an older workforce.

A Washington Post report says that the issue of an agingworkforce is not just presenting a depressing reality to those wholong to retire, it’s also challenging employers with the need tocope with older workers who just won’t—or can’t—go away.

Bloomberg reports that the percentage of U.S. workerslingering past the traditional retirement age hit new highs in themost recent jobs numbers; in fact, 19 percent of those 65 and olderare working at least part time.

But it won’t stop there, with the U.S. Bureau of LaborStatistics predicting that over-65 workers will likely be thefastest-growing demographic in the workplace by2024.

So where does that leave bosses?

Some, the report says, are redesigning manufacturing plants to adapt tothe needs of an aging workforce, while others are increasing 401(k)matches to better prepare employees financially so that theyactually can retire.

And then there are financial wellness programs, now popular amongemployers as they try to boost retirement preparedness amongworkers of all ages to try to forestall having to cope with workerspast their prime who hang on out of financial necessity.

One thing not seen all that much is phased retirement, althoughwhen the concept surfaced about 15 years ago it was supposed toprovide older employees with a way to segue out of their careersgradually, while continuing to provide them with someemployment—whether part time or some other arrangement—and evenmaintain continuity to take advantage of their skills for anextended period of time, or to mentor younger employees.

Not happening—at least not much.

According to nonprofit human resources association WorldatWork,only 29 percent of companies offer phased retirement, and thatnumber is actually down a bit in 2017.

Growth of such programs hasn’t made much, if any, headway overthe last 6 years, with the Society of Human Resources Managementreporting that only six percent of companies they survey actuallyuse formal phased retirement programs. That’s remained at prettymuch the same level over the last several years. Informal use ofsuch programs has only risen to 13 percent.

If they’re not buying into phased retirement, though, it doesn’tmean employers aren’t doing anything.

Instead, says the report, “companies are offering the option tonear-retirees under the broader umbrella of flexible workarrangements—a development that could help older workers in someways, but possibly hurt if they work for organizations whereflexibility isn’t as highly valued.”

Originally worried about a mass boomer exodus as they aged,companies came up with the notion of phased retirement around thebeginning of this century as a means of keeping talent andexperience—but when the Great Recession hit, workers clung towhatever jobs they could keep, fearing an impoverishedretirement.

And gradually the notion of flexibility came into thepicture.

Now the option is a much less defined program, particularlysince employers are reluctant to offer promotions and bigassignments to those who are contemplating leaving and employeesare reluctant to tip their hands about an eventual departure.

The report quotes Jacquelyn James, codirector of the Center onAging & Work at Boston College, saying, “If there’s anythingemployers want, it’s a committed employee. They don’t want a signthey’re one foot in and one out the door.”

Employees have an advantage with these less formal programs inthat they won’t have to set a departure date or actually declare anintention to retire before they’re ready—but the flip side of thatis that employers, particularly those who aren’t all that flexible,might not support such informal programs or actually penalizeemployees who take advantage of flexible work arrangements.

“There is this large shift from a world where employers reallywanted people to retire at 65,” Renee McGowan, who leads Mercer’sglobal retirement savings and financial wellness business, isquoted saying, “to one where they realize that may not be areality, either on the part of employers or employees.”

Employers, McGowan says in the report, are “realizing that Ican’t expect my employees will want or be able to retire at 65. Howdo I help?’ That’s been a huge impetus for the financial wellnessprograms.”

As a result, such programs can include financial education,actual coaching and advice on everything from college savings towhen employees can afford to retire. And while their popularity hasbeen rising, they’ve “become really hot this year,” McGowan isquoted saying.

In fact, an Aon Hewitt report has determined that nearly 50 percent ofemployers it surveyed are working on strategies that will gofurther in helping workers’ financial health. And McGowan says thatthe most sophisticated companies recognize that this is an ongoingchallenge that they’ll have to make the most of, expecting that theskills and careers of over-65 workers remain very much part of theworkforce well into the future.