Leveraging Mature Workers in the Workplace

Posted by suzanne  on Feb 16, 2016

The workforce is aging and the mature workforce has distinct benefits to offer employers. Leading-edge organizations are beginning to understand this. It is exciting to see the strengths of older workers being recognized in Canadian workplaces.

This is because older workers have many benefits to offer employers. At the same time, human resources professionals have a key role to play regarding the career development of older workers. They can develop strategies that move older workers into roles that enhance workforce effectiveness and organizational productivity. In fact, to meet organizational objectives there are five areas for human resources professionals to focus on:

1. Identifying new career pathways
2. Adjusting the organization with HR strategy
3. Redirection reset button
4. New career challenges and projects
5. Career development, beyond traditional retirement

As I outline in the January 2016 issue of HRPA magazine, it is critical to pay attention to these issues. Managers and human resource professionals who understand what an aging society means for their workforce can leverage mature workers in their organization. For more information, I invite you to read pages 31 and 32 here.

The Mature and Experienced Workforce

Posted by suzanne  on Jan 31, 2016

It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to focus on Canada’s aging workforce at the recent symposium devoted to this topic. In fact, since presenting at CEDEC‘s Maturing Workforce Symposium held at Cannexus16 a few days ago, I have continued to reflect on some critical issues.

The aging population equates to an aging labour force and this has implications at the individual, organizational and societal level. These complex issues demand employer policy as well as social policy to help address them.

Older Workers
Life spans have increased and individuals are responsible for saving more for their retirement at the same time that financial markets and investment returns are shaky. It is no wonder various polls report that more people expect to continue working past traditional retirement age.

Mature or older workers have different goals and needs than younger age groups. They want flexibility from employers. They need career pathways that help them meet specific objectives.

Employers
Both the way we work and the linear career path of the past have changed. This collides with our intergenerational workplace and makes it urgent that employers create new programs and policies to facilitate talent management, training and development and career progression.

Later life career development is new terrain in the work-life landscape. Navigating job change and moving into mentorship roles are difficult tasks. In addition, succession planning and knowledge transfer need to be mapped out. Businesses and organizations are trying to identify and understand what this means in their workplace.

Canadian Society
With these powerful demographic and economic forces, we are undergoing a major social and cultural shift surrounding later life work and retirement. We are in a revolutionary transition and social policy is required to help guide and manage this significant change that will affect established social structures in Canada. New evidence-based policies and programs are required.

Finally, these issues are complex. Collaboration and partnership are required to navigate this emerging later life landscape.

Financial Gerontology

Posted by suzanne  on Nov 30, 2015

A few people have asked me about the term ‘Financial Gerontology’.

As a field, gerontology (the study of aging) consists of many disciplines such as health, psychology, sociology, education, law and political science, to name a few. It is interdisciplinary in nature.

Gerontologists work on both micro and macro levels. Certainly, financial issues come into play at a societal (e.g. socio-economic issues and social policy) level as well as at the individual level (e.g. later life work and income, wealth generation and savings, financial management, etc.).

Financial gerontology is the study of aging and the related financial, business and economic issues. This emerging field developed when this term was first coined in 1988.

Traditionally, the financial aspects of aging have been a bit on the periphery within the study of aging, a part of gerontology and issues of aging, but not in the forefront. Regardless, financial and economic issues, including later life work and employment, poverty and low-income seniors, pension plans and retirement savings, are linked to gerontology and a part of the field of gerontology. These are important personal and public policy issues.

In this low-growth, economically sluggish climate, I predict that all of these issues will become increasingly important to society as well as to gerontologists and the older adults they study and serve.

More on this topic is available here:

http://planetlongevity.com/2015/11/murky-waters-in-an-aging-world-fusion-and-confusion-of-terminology-part-1/