This Week's Herman Trend Alert

Navigating the Next Year
 

  The Herman Trend Alert

January 30, 2008

Older Workers in Greater Demand

According to the Robert Wood Johnson study titled "Wisdom at Work", one million people turn 60 years old each month. Life expectancy is now 77. Between now and 2010, the number of United States workers ages 55 to 64 will grow by over 50 percent. People are living longer in better health. Many will want to (and/or have to) keep working.

Recently, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) added three U.S. government agencies and six corporations to its list of employers looking to hire people 50 and older for a range of full-time, part-time, and seasonal jobs. In all, thirty-eight of the nation's employers have expressed an interest in hiring seniors.

The Internal Revenue Service, the Peace Corps, and the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Relief, are the first federal employers to join AARP's National Employer Team, the name given to the association's three-year-old partnership.

Of the two million people who work for the federal government, more than 25 percent are expected to leave over the next five years. In the next two years alone, The Partnership for Public Service estimates over 193,000 mission-critical positions will need filling.

More employers are becoming aware of the benefits of hiring older workers. "They recognize the fact that mature workers bring good experience and skills to the workplace", said Deborah Russell, AARP's director of workforce issues. "More importantly, some recognize this is a labor pool they will have to pull from", added Russell. These jobs are simply not appealing to younger workers.

Many employers, in both the private and the public sectors, have enjoyed lower turnover rates among their more mature workers. Further motivating these employers, about 69 percent of Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964) plan to work past the traditional retirement age of 65---mostly due to the high cost of healthcare and insufficient savings.

This trend is representative of what we expected to see among employers in 2008---employers' increasing interest in older workers for their stability and experience. Unable to find younger workers to handle the less-exciting jobs, we anticipate even more employers turning to older workers.


© Copyright 1998-2008 by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc."


RESOLVE TO ADDRESS EMPLOYEE TURNOVER IN 2009
If you knew just how much money turnover is costing your company, you would have handled it ages ago! Turnover costs A LOT and it comes right off the bottom line. Let The Herman Group and its team of very experienced consultants help you address your turnover issues right away. We have an impressive track record and stand ready to help you. Call Carol at 800-227-3566; international, call 336-210-3547 for a no-obligation conference call.

EMPLOYEE RETENTION BEGINS WITH GOOD SELECTION
If you are not using pre-employment assessments, you are flying without radar---not very smart in today's highly competitive environment. Let us help you better understand your candidates and your employees. In less than 30 minutes, you will know if they can do the job (abilities); their work behaviors, even their personality and attitudes (like integrity & ethics), and those can't be trained. It's very cost effective, too! For more information, contact Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail assessments@hermangroup.com. Validated for many countries and cultures. We offer in-depth help with job descriptions, too!

GET INSIDE THE MINDS OF YOUR EMPLOYEES
Find out what's really going on inside the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-648-1918 or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html.

To read this Herman Trend Alert on the web: http://www.hermangroup.com/alert/archive_9-24-2008.html.


Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers.

New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert.


Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert
View this week's Herman Trend Alert
Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         


[ Home · About · Products · Telebridge · Resources · Media ]

 
4057 Battleground Avenue
Greensboro, NC 27410
Voice: (336) 282-9370
Fax (714) 994-3628
Toll Free in US & Canada: (800) 227-3566
E-mail: info@hermangroup.com

  © 2008 The Herman Group. All rights reserved.

Web site design by WebEditor Design Services, Inc.