Answers to tricky HR questions: Keeping older, experienced workers
August 29, 2008 by Jim GiulianoPosted in: Answers to tricky HR questions, In this week's e-newsletter, Incentives, Latest News & Views, Retention and turnover
Our team of experts fields real-life, everyday questions from HR managers and gives practical answers that can be applied by any HR pro in the same situation. Today’s question: How can we hang on to older, experienced workers who seem ready and willing to retire?
Question:
We have a lot of older, experienced workers who are quite knowledgeable and productive. Many of them have been making noises about retirement soon, and we’re concerned about all that experience walking out the door.
Any ideas on what we can do to keep them?
Answer:
First, realize that people are going to retire, says recruiting expert Annette Cummings. There are efforts you can make to keep them a while longer, but sooner or later, you’re faced with the same problem — they leave.
So, as a start, try to make sure your older workers are involved in projects they’re interested in. That’ll keep them for as long as possible. And as much as possible, allow them to work part-time or flexible schedules that suit their lifestyles.
As for the longer term, your supervisors should try to make sure that sharp younger workers are teamed up with the veterans so that the knowledge and experience will be passed along when the vets eventually leave. That’s really the only way to ensure your organization doesn’t suffer from “brain drain.”
Tags: Annette Cummings, retirement
September 2nd, 2008 at 3:34 pm
I think there is a bigger problem here than the one addressed. I am one of those older workers — age 63 — who has no desire to retire. I would love to continue right where I am or in a similar position with another company as long as I am healthy enough to work. Right now that appears to be a lot longer — five to seven years.
You or anyone else, however, cannot tell me that age discrimination does not exist — and is rampant in industry. I only put the last 15 to 20 years of experience on my resume so that I won’t be left out of consideration. The remarkable thing is that my experience after 35 years in HR could be of great help to (1) a company and (2) mentor younger HR employees. And if a younger person is hired he or she is very unlikely to work at one job more than 5 to 7 years any way!
How do you keep us interested? Give us opportunities for really key roles where we will continue to show the great work ethic we have always shown!
May 15th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Do companies have the right to ask a new hire about previous disability ( such as mental stress) when the doctor says the person is OK and ready to go back to work.
September 17th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
With regard to similar subject, what are the options or trends relevant to Aging Workforce incentives? We’re aware that it’s a common practice within the Public Sector to offer Early Retirement Incentive packages on a fairly regular basis each fiscal year as they attempt to balance the budget. Would like to receive information on Private Sector practices.
In our industry, it would appear that many workers have not planned accordingly for retirement and, therefore, when the times comes that they are eligible to retire they continue to work due to financial reasons. In many instances the elder worker is not physically capable of carrying out the full realm of the role profile, they are just hanging on until the day comes when they are financially capable of leaving the workforce.
This has become a continuing issue, as many of the elder employee’s younger colleagues shoulder the responsibility of the elder employee’s physical work load responsibilities on a daily basis, without the added pay.
We would like to learn more concerning trends, as well as our options and responsibilities as an employer, perhaps we can offer some assistance to our aging workforce? Wondering if anyone would be able to share ideas or information relevant to this subject matter.