This Week's Herman Trend Alert

The Consequences of Virtual Meetings
 

  The Herman Trend Alert

October 9, 2002

No More Retirement

Retirement, as we know it today, is disappearing.

Until recently, most people have invested their working lives with the objective and expectation of retirement in their fifties or sixties. The dream had been to spend time traveling the world, playing with grandchildren, or just doing little chores around the house. No more working for someone else; all your needs would be paid for with the money saved for retirement years.

A number of factors suggest that we are seeing the end of this kind a retirement picture. Instead, people will continue to work, at least part- time, for many more years. Relatively few people will enjoy full retirement, but many will find new ways to enjoy partial retirement---a different kind of slowing down.

Older workers will remain active in the workforce-on a part-time or full- time basis-into their seventies or later. Some will remain in their career positions, staying longer than they ever imagined they would. Others will retire from their career positions and move into other jobs in the same or different fields. A number of "second season" workers will leave employment to start their own businesses. With the average life span in developed countries now almost eighty years, someone "retiring" at 55 has another twenty years of career life available.

There will be a critical need for mature workers. Their wisdom and experience will hold high value for enlightened employers eager for reliable, stable, productive employees. The labor shortage (see www.impendingcrisis.com) will create all sorts of opportunities for talented seniors. Respected for what they have already accomplished, many will serve as coaches or mentors to younger colleagues.

Personal values will inspire many 50+ workers to continue working. This generation has a core value of being productive members of society. Stopping work may be in conflict with that value.

Retirement will be out of the question for those who have not saved enough to pay their way. They'll have to continue working to pay the bills. The stock market drop made this decision for a lot of retirement-bound workers.

Shifts in retirement will change many lives.


© Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc."


BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: RETENTION SPECIALIST PROGRAM
A growing number of people have expressed an interest in attending our Employee Retention Specialist Certificate Program. We'd like to schedule on that's convenient for those who want to attend, but need your feedback to do so. Please place RETENTION SPECIALIST in the subject line and Joyce will personally call you back to schedule the workshop. Or you can call Joyce directly at 336-210-3548 (PDT this and next week).

BUSINESS IS PICKING UP
Most employers are unprepared. The recovery will bring a new set of challenges for employers that have been in prolonged contracted mode. They will need more skilled workers or will need now to begin to upskill their current staffs. But organizations can not engage in Strategic Workforce Planning, when they don't know how. That's where The Herman Group can help. We can help you with your "People Review"----large or small---so that you will know who you will need and when you will need them. . . and we can also guide you to the best sources for the people you will need. For more information, call Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail joyce@hermangroup.com.

FIND OUT WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY THINK AND FEEL
Discover what’s really going on in the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-416-7066, or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html.


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