For decades economists and health researchers have predicted that the US workforce would "age" and that older workers would represent a higher proportion of the overall workforce in the early- and middle-21st Century. The era of the aging workforce is upon us. Between 1994 and 2014, the labor force participation rate among workers 65 and older increased by more than six percent. Workers approaching the traditional retirement age of 65 are rethinking their retirement plans according to their own wants and needs. Whether employer policies, programs and work environments are fully adjusted for this demographic shift is yet to be seen. This joint session will present perspectives on how researchers, educators and employers are responding to these growing demographic, health and safety trends. The objectives of this session are: 1) To present a model of productive aging that employers and worker organizations can use to guide the development of age friendly workplaces and programs 2) To apply the principles of universal design to evaluate specific workplace practices and technologies for “age friendliness” 3) To describe how a workshop designed to help organizations create age-friendly workplaces has translated academic research into an online compendium of practical tools and educational modules 4) To describe how the Age Smart Employer Awards were developed to recognize and honor examples of forward-thinking leadership and model employers