Why The Aging Workforce Has Hurt Productivity

By 2020, approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population will be 65 years or older and employers have yet to come to grips with this fact. The aging population will affect the workforce through retirement and those continuing to work. Medicare and Social Security are very likely to undergo profound changes. Some who reach the age of 65 will not be able to retire due to the fact that they require outside income. Retired or not, the aging population will contribute heavily to the consumer market. Their demand for leisure-time pursuits and professional services will fuel local labor markets. This boom in the service sector may replace many low-skilled or unskilled jobs. The aging of the population will be far more dramatic that ethnic

The Department of Labor estimates that by the year 2012, the Labor Force will be over age 55 (Harvey 184). In a time when issues such as Age and Ability are at the far front for a lot of employers, understanding how to deal with an aging workforce is essential. The debate on how to address this issue is only beginning.

Economic factors will play a role in baby boomers working beyond the age of 50. Due

Students are tending to create a longer transition time between adolescence to adulthood. The level of success is varying depending who wants to build a career by attending a college/university. This leads for elderly people to not retire sooner. As result, elderly people are tending more time on the job. The elderly would want to stay engaged, stimulated, and involved to stay economically stable.

It no stretch to see that the majority of workers nowadays are above forty. The population of youth is unable to get the jobs to support themselves and the seniors are given them instead due to more work experience and the fact that the better part

As we begin to enter an aging America many positive effects will foreshadow, like having more experienced workers, changing perceptions of how we think of the aged and aging, them being active in the community, and obtaining their place in society. In observing the history and how far we have come along with regards to our views, government funding’s, and where they will live can only improve as future elderly come into existence. So much as 40 years into the future there perhaps will be modifications to reduce working hours to 4 days a week. Changes like this would shift our demographic work style that would ease us into our older years and living longer and happier lives. This growing demographic that’s estimated in the future will play a

While these aspects of society certainly do impact a nation with a growing older population, they are not the most problematic. Financial instability of the country should not be the spotlight of concern, but as people are living longer, people should be more concerned with that the typical life should look different in the future. With this in mind, the article proposes other areas of concern: lack of incentive for volunteering, little to no new education for older adults, and massive technological change with no way for older generations to learn how to use it. If these areas are not provided with change, it will ultimately lead to economic hardship for the elderly, due to the lack of new education and technological knowledge, which would, in turn, able them to work longer. If older generations were able to stay in the workforce longer, our aging society, which people believe may eventually not have a large enough work force, would be able to avoid this presumed

Some negative examples of how people in the workforce perceive older adults in the workforce are that older workers produce lower quality work, inflexible, less productive and are resistant to change. Some employers believe older adult workers skills are dated or do not have the required set of competence needed. Giving training and continuing education opportunities as well as companies adapting these courses to those with less experience technically will help with ensuring that older adults continue to feel like a vital part of the business and keep working until they decide to

Aging and retirement are two concepts that most people think about when it comes to exiting the workforce. Contrary to popular belief, retirement is now being delayed as older Americans live longer. In an article titled, Older Americans employment and retirement by Tang et al. (2013), they detail a new pattern of retirement, while also discussing some issues that should be examined (Tang et al., 2013). The issues mentioned can have an effect on future generations in terms of retirement. This writer examines various components such as gender differences, longevity, and low income. Furthermore, this writer reviews this article in an effort to understand how human service professionals play a role in such a transition of a person’s life.

The changing demographics in Canada are creating an older workforce. Policies and initiatives to engage older individuals are, therefore, in demand and need to be effectively integrated, targeted and adequately resourced. Flexibility in employment could help Canada address its changing social context as more “boomers” reach retirement. Furthermore, there are economic and social gains to be made by encouraging an extended work-life, many of which (including mentorship and knowledge-transfer) will also benefit younger cohorts. As a policy and practice instrument, PLAR also holds significant possibilities for encouraging experienced people to pursue encore careers and helping them assess a legacy of learning and experience. As a legacy planning tool, portfolio can be used creatively as a means to reflect on one’s purpose and accomplishments, and thus help illuminate a plan for the next stages of life as well as career direction. (Wong, 1997)

Aging population can be used as an advantage to increase economic rates growth by keeping them employed as long as possible (Nankervis et al. 2006, p.55). People who are working in a knowledge fields may increase their performance with age, however for more physical positions there is an opposite possibility of low performance with increasing age (Patrickson & Ranzijn, 2006). Consequently, specific jobs may have lack of professional employees. For example by separating workers and using older workers as experience type that can teach and train young employees, as well as use their knowledge will benefit organization in different departments. Also by using younger workers as routine workers or in more physical positions that are hard to perform for older employees will give them opportunity to earn more experience and will keep older employees working as well (Patrickson & Ranzijn, 2006). It is necessary for human resources to distribute their workforce accordingly and to provide required training for their young and old employees.

“People are working longer. Not always because they want too but because they have too.” (CITATION) Those who were planning to retire or have retired, found that what they had saved for themselves was underestimated. Therefore, resulting in them having to go back into the workforce. However, there is a lot of controversy over this topic and allowing elders who have retired back into the workforce. Not only because of agism, but it is said that they are “Steeling jobs from the undergraduate.” (CITATION) It’s proven that “for every baby boomer in the workforce, it would take 2 students to replace them.” (CITATION) But this gives no reason to discriminate against and turn away from elders in the workforce, especially when they are qualified for the job. Nonetheless “It is a real challenge to start a new occupation when you are older and especially getting back into the workforce and with a new job.” (CITATION) Elders who have have been working for majority of their lives begin to identify themselves with there jobs, and “there is stigma when you identify yourself with your title and career and suddenly don't have it.” (CITATION) Conrad Black is an example of this. He is one of the elders at the Round Table Discussion and he was “Hired, Fired and NOT retired” (CITATION) One of the guest speakers at the discussion, talked about how he was involuntarily

Since income for seniors will be financially limited, another way they can supplement their low income is to work past the retirement age. By the year 2030, there will be more jobs available than the number of workers. The government should encourage older individuals who want to work past the retirement age with a yearly bonus incentive. The incentive persuades seniors to remain in the workforce and balance out the economical deficit caused by the low number of workers. Work sites can adapt for the elderly to demonstrate equal working opportunities for all members of society.

Since firms commonly do not entice less learned workers, the development multitude of older, less-literate workers are promising to ground an added sprain on the notorious manege system. In augmentation, appreciate of the capability for performance at older generation prompt that the possibility for manufacture is much larger that the symmetry of persons veritably practical. Labor offer are procreate jobs with higher reason requirements, but infectious increase of these opportunities direct extended manage opportunities, peculiarly among older workers severe to void the expression of dying.

Whether to allow retired citizens to continue working after passing their retirement age is still a huge doubt in our current society. Organizations may not want to re-employ them as they may be unfit for the job due to their physical limitations. However, re-employing them will greatly benefit them. I will be giving my opinions and suggestions for this concern in this blog post.