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The Draft on Workforce planning mentions the aging workforce. There is a critical need to work on knowledge retention and/or transfer. I suggest this product, or another under M4E be expanded and strengthened to develop an aggressive program to retain senior workers who have a desire to stay working for Reclamation. Here are some ideas:

OPPORTUNITY 1: TURNING GRAY INTO GOLD

Some researchers predict that by 2010 the United States will face a labor shortage with 10 million more jobs than available workers to fill them

As the workforce continues to age—by 2010 almost one in three workers will be at least 50-- and knowledge and experience increasingly become value-added propositions, every organization will be scrambling to create a reputation as an age-friendly workplace.

Redefine retirement

Retirement is not a date on a calendar but a process—and organizations who can extend that process for as long as it’s beneficial to both sides of the desk will have a competitive advantage for the next 10-20 years.

According to AARP, “70% of workers who have not retired reported that they plan to work into their retirement years or never retire; almost 50% expected never to retire.”

What would it take for you to stay with us beyond your retirement date?

Not surprisingly, high on older workers’ wish lists are flexible work arrangements.
Also, study the possibility of “phased retirement.”

Make retaining your about-to-retire workforce a strategic imperative.

Then, become very flexible in creating “customized deals”
Rehire former employees
Encourage departed employees to return:
A “Welcome Back” sign will be waiting for them whenever they want to return. Then, keep in touch, keep in touch, keep in touch.

Be an older-worker friendly employer
A new trend is emerging among Boomers that some experts call “unretirement,” “recareering” or “career shifting.”

Among those in that mid-level manager pool, a surprising portion does not want leadership/supervisory/managerial roles.

Ask recruited high potentials to create their own learning plans based on their strengths as well as their skill gaps.

I suggest establishing a "senior recruiter position in each region to work with senior workers on knowledge retention or worker retention, much like the positions working with the programs for younger, new workers.

Disposition: Forwarded to functional area sponsor and team leads related to Human Resources and Workforce
03/08/2007