Did you know that every second, someone in Canada turns 50? The average age of Canadian employees is escalating at a rapid pace and the ‘retirement wave,’ as it’s been coined, will see thousands of aging baby boomers approach retirement in the next decade. Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) estimates that approximately 41 per cent of the working population will be between the ages of 45 and 64, compared to 29 per cent in 1991. In fact, the percentage of actual workers over 45 could be even higher since the federal government has now banished the mandatory retirement age of 65. Linked to this is the somewhat remarkable fact that for the first time in history, more Canadian adults have parents that are alive and well than have children, posing serious potential labour shortage challenges among other issues.

For Canadian organizations, the implications are significant. The face of not only the labour force but also of the greying group within it is changing, and the way this is handled may determine the future success of an organization. Today’s older adults are very different from their counterparts of even just a decade ago, and tomorrow’s organizational winners will be the employers who recognize the potential benefits that this affords for business, productivity, retention, and for corporate citizenship. Certainly, an aging workforce presents challenges that must be addressed, but by beginning to implement the right systems now, smart employers can channel the older group’s energy, commitment, and experience into brand new opportunities for their organizations.

The necessity to attract and retain mature workers goes beyond the requirements of a knowledge-based economy and the looming labour shortage crisis. The age of 49 is, or many, one of the peak years of their productivity in the workplace. Ironically, it is also the average age when workers begin to face age discrimination, an issue that needs to be addressed as aging workplaces expand. The truth is that today’s older workers bring a great deal of new value to the table that goes beyond experience and maturity.

A healthier and more active group than previously seen in this age stage, today’s seniors increasingly see their golden years not as a time to retire from active life, but rather as an opportunity to commit to a second career with passion and vigour. According to The AARP Work & Career Study,* aging workers want to continue working as well as have viable work options later in life. They are not working because they have to, but because they feel they still have a lot to offer.

From an educational point of view, for example, highly educated retirees are far more likely to choose to return to the workplace than those with lesser schooling. Additionally, those who choose to stay in their jobs past 65 are typically the most highly educated employees.

As a result of this unique combination of superior education, skills, and accumulative experience, employers have multiple benefits:

• Older workers contribute experience and knowledge to an organization, without the supervision required by their more inexperienced counterparts. At the same time, a deeper level of experience generally leads to business solutions that are both cost-effective and time-saving.
• Employing seniors, even on a part-time basis, provides employers with more flexibility in terms of work arrangements and business project needs.
• Retaining mature workers on a part-time basis means there is less of a learning curve in terms of processes and systems, resulting in a reduction in training costs and valuable time saved.
• By employing older workers on a contract basis, employers are less likely to require buy-in and more likely to save project ramp-up time.
• Today’s mature workers come with a high level of commitment, dedication, and energy. This element makes an impact on productivity, ultimately affecting an organization’s bottom line.

In order for these benefits to be realized,the unique needs of the new workforce must be addressed by employers. Most obvious are the health concerns that become prevalent as individuals begin to age. For many who are approaching retirement, financial concerns and anticipated lifestyle changes may also impact on stress levels. Many older workers are concerned about how they will be able to afford to retire. They may still have dependents to support, and are increasingly likely to be caregivers. In fact, more Canadians are caring for adults today than are caring for children, bringing widespread concerns about housing, homecare, and extended care options for older family members or partners who may be ill.

For others approaching retirement, their sense of self-worth and self-esteem is strongly linked to their career. These individuals feel they have much to offer and may be considering second careers, starting small businesses, or turning hobbies into contract jobs. Planning for the future after retirement can take a great deal of time, and these individuals may feel a need for increased work-life balance in order to accomplish their goals and put plans in place.

Organizations that design their workplace with these challenges in mind will be able to avoid the potential adverse consequences – such as increases in sick days; prescription drug costs; leaves of absence; and short-term disability as well as the shift from full-time to part-time work or a premature departure from the workforce altogether – faced by employers with less insight.

In order to take advantage of the new opportunities of a ‘mature’ workplace, employers need to provide a work environment that recognizes and accommodates the needs of their new workforce. A strong recruitment and retention strategy for mature workers will also demonstrate that the organization integrates and values these employees and expects them to be up to the challenge, building corporate citizenship all the while. Here are some suggestions for accomplishing these multiple objectives:

• Flex-work arrangements assist those with care-giving responsibilities as well as those who need time to plan post-retirement activities.
• Telework arrangements for those tasks that lend themselves to service, knowledge creation, or global connectivity.
• Career development and training opportunities can be offered to mature workers who want to work or aren’t ready or able to retire.
• Provide opportunities for mature workers to become mentors in the workplace in order to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and skills.
• Pre-retirement planning programs provide consultation and information that help older employees plan for the financial and lifestyle changes that go hand-in-hand with retirement.
• Work-life services allow individuals to pro-actively manage concrete concerns via the delivery of time saving information and consultation on life cycle and other issues.
• Individual resiliency coaching for those who want to remain high performers.
• Customized nutrition programs to help older adults maintain healthy lifestyles or change bad eating habits to reduce health risks.
• Encourage use of the ‘magic bullet’ to health – exercise.
• Regular lunch-and-learn sessions can provide older workers with education on issues such as stress management and achieving work-life balance.
• For mature workers with older family members who require full- or part-time care, eldercare programs can assist with practical resources and support.
• Homecare services can provide information on – and access to – free, subsidized, and private services in specific communities.
• The forthcoming government instituted Compassionate Leave benefit can be enhanced to assist those who need time to support critically ill family members.
• Education for managers on how to support employees going through life-changing issues.
• Retiree relations programs are an opportunity for a company’s alumni to stay in touch socially, volunteer, or even become spokespeople for the organization at company events.
• If an EAP is in place, those who have already retired may find it useful and a means of support as part of their extended benefits/pension package.

Some organizations may offer variations on these initiatives, including combining more flexible work options with sick day banks or expanding the eldercare offering to include co-ordination with homecare. Some are focusing on prevention to ‘move the culture’ and build resiliency, and are developing strategic partnerships with their work-life services partners to meet their goals. Those organizations with work-life service offerings can provide more hands-on preventive support to assist older workers in improving their coping skills. This can be accomplished by simply recognizing, for example, that employees need help negotiating the healthcare system and keeping them informed about what is available to support them. For other employers, strategic planning might begin with exploring solutions for those who want to continue working.

Like any new road, the road to retirement can have bumps and turns along the way for both organizations and their employees. However, by providing older workers with the resources they need to make choices and by working with their service provider to promote these initiatives internally, the journey can ultimately be a smooth one that leads to exciting new horizons. Unfortunately, few employers are ahead of the curve right now in creating workplaces that integrate and place strong emphasis on older workers. And soon, businesses will face critical shortages of talent, leadership, and skills. By capturing and nurturing the strengths and skills of the older generation in the workplace, the best leaders and producers will be less likely to slip away.

Remember that at the end of the business day, listening to your mature workforce and building and implementing programs in response to their needs is the smartest thing employers can do. The cost savings will be enormous. Through developing and sharing of best practices and careful planning for the future, employers can manage the demographic changes to come and capitalize on the potential of an aging workforce. Indeed, this could be the defining factor that determines true corporate competitive edge in the not too distant future. Tomorrow’s winners will be the employers who start preparing today.

Barbara Jaworski is director, worklife solutions and well-being, for FGI bjaworski@fgiworld.com.
*American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), Work & Career Study, 2002.
First published in Benefits & Pensions Monitor Magazine, 2003.