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Saturday, September 02, 2006

McJob News

The Fate of Older Workers Get Better with Time According to Studies...

Many baby boomers who turn 60 this year are retiring and 25 year olds may take their places.
This seems like a good deal to some employers. As more people retire the workforce will become filled with flexible, young, cheaper labor who have years of productive service ahead of them.

Right now, workplace policies, age-discrimination and early retirement incentives push older workers out of full-time jobs; and, when they leave they take critical knowledge, relationships and expertise with them. according to Catherine Green, of Green Consulting Group, a leading futurist organization located in Chevy Chase, MD. She spoke at a 40 plus Meeting held in Washington last month.

As time marches on, changing demographics will highlight the fact that there are fewer younger workers available to work. One of these days, older workers will be sorely missed at the workplace, according to studies that predict a competition for talent among US companies for older workers by 2015. Eventually, some of them will be appreciated and treated as rare jewels.

Why? Because older workers have it over young folks. The older generation has values, customer service and problem solving skills that are lacking in some of the younger generation. On the other hand, older workers are more set in their ways and have expensive health benefits. Because there were certain periods when fewer children were born in the US, there is a growing shortage of younger workers.

Every older worker will not be accepted with open arms. It is only the best of the older workers who will be sought after with special employment treatment, says Green. Meanwhile, you can work at Home Depot and other companies who are interested in hiring older workers. See the link below.

But what if you can’t retire because of your financial situation or other reasons? What are your options?
Green suggests continuing to upgrade your skills. There are certain industries such as health care that are desperate for workers and other areas that are discussed in studies created by AARP that are located in the links located below. Baby boomers are considered to be the most outspoken and activist generation in history. Today’s employers must be educated to see the value in an aging workforce, and most likely baby boomers will be up to the job of changing their minds.

AARP has put together a study examining the recruitment and retention of workers as business case perspectives. See links below to look at jobsites where you can find employers who are seeking older works and where a job search can be performed.

Examples of employer practices to attract and retain 50+ workers:
http://www.aarp.org/research/work/employment/aresearch-import-892.html


The careers section of AARP’s web site:
http://www.aarp.org/careers/

This site lists the employers that participate in the AARP National Employer Team, which connects employers who are interested in hiring 50+ workers with job seekers.
http://www.aarp.org/featuredemployers

This site explains the AARP employer recognition program and includes information about some of the practices that these employers have in place to attract and retain 50+ workers
http://www.aarp.org/bestemployers

Barbara LaBier

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