| Title | Gray Eminence |
| ShortDescription | By 2015, the number of workers 55 and older will hover around 30 million, or 20 percent of the total labor force. Today, this group constitutes just 12 percent of all workers. This strategically important segment will undoubtedly develop a host of specific needs along the way, including more schedule flexibility, enhanced opportunities for newer challenges, and improved workplace ergonomics. If employers want to keep business running smoothly and profits strong, they will have to adjust accordingly. |
| LongDescription | Article Excerpt Byline: Gina Ruiz. Most employers are aware that the baby boom generation is getting older and inching closer to retirement, but few have implemented strategies to effectively handle the impending transformation. That's the assessment from Ken Dychtwald, author and CEO of Age Wave, a San Francisco company that focuses on the mature workforce. By 2015, the number of workers 55 and older will hover around 30 million, or 20 percent of the total labor force. Today, this group constitutes just 12 percent of all workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This strategically important segment will undoubtedly develop a host of specific needs along the way, including more schedule flexibility, enhanced opportunities for newer challenges, and improved workplace ergonomics. If employers want to keep business running smoothly and profits strong, they will have to adjust accordingly. Mature workers wield a lot of leverage, not only because they are among of the most experienced and well-trained employees in the workforce, but also because there aren't bountiful numbers of younger workers waiting in the wings to pick up the slack. The good news is that persuading this group of workers to remain professionally active may not be too difficult. A Merrill Lynch survey reports that about 76 percent of baby boomers say they want to continue working in some capacity after they reach retirement age, but it will have to be on their terms. Those most likely to continue working are the ones who have experienced a high degree of professional success in physically undemanding jobs, such as professors, attorneys and executives. In his forthcoming book Workforce Crisis, Dychtwald gives specific examples of companies and best practices to manage the changes. |
| SourceAuthor | Ruiz, G |
| Reference | Workforce Management, Vol. 85, No. 6, March 27, 2006, 4pp |
| Organization | Workforce Management |
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http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-5401692/Gray-Eminence-The-ranks-of.html
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