|
|||
|
|
|
||||||
|
Older and Wiser
Companies are taking specific steps to keep older workers in their folds, recognizing their value as they mentor the less-experienced and help ward against an impending labor shortage.
We've all been hearing about the merits of tapping into the older-worker population. So why aren't employers doing so in big numbers? According to Gray Matters: Engaging the Older Workforce, a 2007 white paper by Milwaukee-based Manpower Inc., employees ages 55 and older are projected to comprise more than 20 percent of America's workforce by 2016, creating a pool of 27 million workers to help meet employment needs. Yet fewer than 18 percent of employers surveyed by Manpower have developed strategies to recruit older workers, and only 28 percent are planning retention programs for this population. Not only are older workers available in large numbers, but they have much to offer, says Melanie Holmes, Manpower's vice president for world-of-work solutions. "There is a lot of upside for employers who invest in mature workers," she says. "They are loyal and reliable [and they] act professionally, stay on task and exhibit good work habits. And they are generally good at those soft skills that are valued in the contemporary workplace." For some companies, existing programs are already in place to appeal to this segment of the workforce. Initiatives are out there that target existing personnel, new employees or both. For long-term employees at The Aerospace Corp., which provides technical support for rocket and satellite systems, full retirement is not an immediate goal. Many can retire at 55, but most work until age 62 or 65. When they reach the point of retirement, employees may file a formal request to return as a "retiree casual." The company may respond with an immediate assignment, or place them in a pool for future consideration. Most assignments are made in the area where the employee originally worked to facilitate knowledge transfer, with an annual cap of 1,000 work hours. A pool of 400 to 500 retirees participates in the program, with about 300 working at any one time. The program has been well-received both by participants and other employees, according to Charlotte Lazar-Morrison, general manager of the company's human resource division located in El Segundo, Calif. "Older workers serve as mentors to less experienced personnel," she says, "and the program serves as an effective conduit for transferring institutional memory." Along with the benefit of retaining highly qualified employees with specialized job knowledge, the program helps management deal with fluctuations in funding provided through government contracts. While limiting the need for hiring full-time workers, the practice also helps protect full-timers from layoffs. A feature enjoyed by participants is that they are paid at the same rate as before retiring, although former managers may earn less for more narrowly defined work. But with attractive retirement packages, pay seems less of a motivating factor than keeping busy and involved. "People love the work here," she says. "They don't want to lose their connections. This gives them a way to transition to retirement and still be involved." At Delaware North Cos., a hospitality and food-service provider headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y., attracting mature workers is a key HR strategy. Eileen Morgan, vice president of human resources, says that, although the company provides compensation packages that are in line with benchmark companies, that may not be enough to attract and retain the best talent. "If our talent pool can come back to us and say, 'After a certain point, I'm not motivated by money. I'm looking for other things,' do we know how to respond?" For Delaware North, one answer has been the company's operation at Yellowstone National Park, where more than 60 percent of the associates are 50-plus, with many having retired from fields such as petroleum engineering, medicine and government procurement. Each spring, they return to Yellowstone from across the United States to live in the park and operate the company's retail shops. On their days off, they pursue activities such as traveling, fishing and sightseeing. "These retail jobs are not six-figure positions, and yet our workers return again and again because the experience is enjoyable for them," Morgan says. "We even have one sales clerk who is 88." Morgan says the Yellowstone program has been so successful, the experience has inspired the company to allow older workers the chance to mentor in other company locations, which include sporting venues, parks, resorts, airports and gaming destinations. The program allows older workers to reduce their working hours while serving as mentors to younger employees. She cites the example of a longtime general manager in one of the company's pari-mutuel operations. "He understands everything there is to know about ownership and operation of racetracks," she says. "He would like to step away from the intensity of operations, however, but without retiring." Since the manager has experience and talents that can't be duplicated easily, it makes sense to assign him to mentor other operators at Delaware North racing facilities, Morgan says. She adds that the company has identified other senior workers with similar situations, and plans to expand the mentorship program. "We have found that by being flexible, we get much in return in terms of experience, commitment, hard work and ambassadorship," Morgan says. "It's a win-win." For virtually any employer, rethinking how older workers are managed holds real potential for all concerned, say HR experts and practitioners. Viewing mature employees as an increasingly valuable resource can lead to creative efforts that not only help meet the organization's needs, they say, but also make life better for those who want to continue working.
Cross-Generational Training As a complement to efforts targeted specifically at older workers, some companies focus on training to make sure employees understand generational differences. The thinking is that employees in all age groups, including the most mature workers, will be more effective if they understand the ways members of each group tend to approach their jobs. That's the approach taken by Columbus, Ga.-based insurance provider Aflac, according to Audrey Boone Tillman, executive vice president and director of corporate services. "For the first time in history, the workforce at companies like ours is represented by four generations," she says. "Now, more than ever, members of all ages need to be able to communicate about difficult and complex subjects with members from other generations." To that end, Aflac offers a corporate training initiative dubbed "Connecting Generations," in which participants acquire new tools for understanding and communicating with team members from multiple generations. The course was developed in-house and is taught by a member of the company's corporate learning team. Available to all employees, it covers basic characteristics of each generation now represented in the workplace. It also describes the effects of family and world events associated with each generation, analyzes their work styles and employment characteristics, and applies connection points to bridge generation gaps. In addition, the company takes a broad-based approach to fostering job satisfaction in older workers. For instance, employees' grandchildren are eligible to enroll in the company's on-site childcare facility -- which, with more than 600 children, is the largest in Georgia. And with nearly 30 percent of the current workforce ages 45 or older, recruitment efforts include targeting older prospects. "We continue to successfully recruit and retain seasoned professionals," Tillman says. "They provide a wealth of expertise to our younger workforce." Keep it Strategic, Balanced
Any employer can take steps to appeal to older workers. But, despite the many advantages that experienced employees may bring to the workforce, it's important to avoid blanket practices that do not actually result in a stronger workforce over time, according to Jeff Akin, a principal at McLean, Va.-based Booz Allen Hamilton and head of the firm's human capital management team. For example, broad-based pay and benefit packages designed to encourage longer tenure may result in retention of less-than-stellar employees. "The danger in macro-incentive approaches is that companies may get traction with people whose knowledge is not critical or tough to replace within the context of the operations of the business," he says. "Make sure that any efforts to attract this segment of the workforce are done within the bounds of a strategic workforce plan. Be flexible, but also be sure you and the older workers are clear and in agreement on expectations." Holmes recommends taking inventory of your existing workforce and asking questions such as, Who may be approaching retirement age? And of those, which employees have skills and abilities that are critical to your success? "Once you have that information, you can begin to develop programs to prolong working life while you create plans to get the knowledge transferred to the next generation," Holmes says. Linda Blandford-Beringsmith, vice president of human resources for Robert Half International in Pleasanton, Calif., says corporate needs should be balanced by efforts to gain insights into options preferred by employees as they look ahead. "Consider employee surveys," she says. "Find out what workers are looking for and what they expect from their employer." Blandford-Beringsmith says such surveys can be designed internally or obtained from third-party providers. She adds that similar information can be obtained through formal staff evaluations. "Be sure to continue utilizing performance reviews," she says. "They are just as important for mature workers as for younger employees, and can provide opportunities for finding out what they want out of their jobs in the future." At the same time, it's important to make sure the organization's needs are matched with the preferences of individual workers. For example, an accountant might express interest in working beyond normal retirement, but if the company is moving toward outsourcing of accounting functions, the match may not be a good one. According to Holmes, strategic inventories of employees will help pinpoint where needs of employers and workers mesh. Such studies should not only determine who might be approaching retirement, but also help managers decide if the skills they possess are vital to the organization. HR leaders realize it's important to achieve equity in dealing with all the generations represented in today's workforce. Within that framework, however, reasonable measures to accommodate older workers seem not only acceptable, but desirable. "There may be an opportunity to redesign a job to meet the needs of the mature worker," Holmes says. "Perhaps reduce the physical requirements of the position or change the role to be more focused on training or mentoring the younger workers." In addition to training less experienced employees, older workers can benefit by becoming trainees themselves, according to Blandford-Beringsmith. Contrary to the assumption that training is unnecessary with highly experienced personnel, she says, older workers benefit from the chance to acquire new knowledge and skills that can be applied on the job. Not only does this enhance the organization in a practical sense, but the chance to participate in training helps keep mature employees engaged and offers intellectual stimulation. In that spirit, Robert Half makes more than 6,000 courses available online to anyone who is working with the firm. Topics range from the latest software applications to management topics. Other possible steps include limiting overnight travel for workers who would like to reduce travel commitments, providing career counseling to help employees move elsewhere within the organization and offering wellness programs that include classes or activities targeted to older adults. Whatever measures are taken to appeal to older employees, the demographic trends seem inescapable. At least in part, older workers offer a solution to what otherwise might be a dwindling supply of employees. And their potential should not be underestimated. "Have an inclusive and open mind-set when considering strategies for older workers," says Oris Stuart, CEO of Global Lead Management Consulting in Cincinnati. "Don't fall victim to stereotypes about the level of creativity, physical ability, technology skills or other characteristics of older workers and miss the very valuable opportunity to treat them as strategic resources."
August 1, 2008 Copyright 2008© LRP Publications |
||||||
Print
Email
Write to the Editor
Reprints
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
© Copyright 2010 LRP Publications. All rights reserved.
|
||||