Addressing Aging in the Workplace
Is your company prepared for the aging of America?
You’re probably aware that our population is aging. But how quickly? According to the nonprofit Population Reference Bureau:
EVERY DAY more than 10,000 Americans turn 65.
Family care needs are likely to rise as the number of U.S. adults ages 85 and older is projected to triple by 2050.
Whether we’re ready or not, these rapidly changing demographics will impact our workplaces in significant ways. How can we keep pace with these oncoming changes?
Effective workplace strategies will include:
Calculating how many of your employees will reach retirement age in the next 5, 10, and 15 years, and creating a plan to address the HR, leadership, and operational challenges that will arise if those numbers are high.
Strategizing new and creative ways to accommodate leave requests for employees caring for aging parents.
Training your supervisors and managers on FMLA and ADA protocols and policies, including how to identify and respond appropriately to related comments or inquiries from employees.
Considering offering partial retirement plans to avoid an overwhelming exodus of seasoned employees in a compressed time period.
Focusing on succession planning to prevent a detrimental loss of operational and organizational knowledge as more people resign or retire early due to greater family caregiving responsibilities.
You may already be engaged in these efforts. But if not, even if you only focus on one of these areas each year moving forward, your organization will be better prepared for the significant population changes headed our way.
Holly Morreels, MS
Workplace Leadership Solutions
717-818-2499
