Managing Age Bias: Career Planning Strategies for Baby Boomers

The growing predominance of aging baby boomers in America means that a whole generation, of about 76 million working people, is beginning cross the 50 year age mark. This is likely to create a substantial upswing in accusations and lawsuits that involve discrimination, especially age related complaints, and complaints like misrepresentation of benefits, and so on. There are nearly 5,000 age discrimination claims that are being filed in California alone, with the past five years being witness to a significant increase in numbers.

As companies are becoming more and more dependent on older employees, and the skills and abilities, quality and superior work ethics that they bring to the table, corporate executives and leaders are now realizing that they need to act, and act fast, to reduce, and if possible obliterate, age discrimination and any other subtle forms of bias. Still, as of now, few companies are taking effective management steps like major educational programs or workshops that are purely designed to prevent and stop age discrimination. These workshops could also be tailored to deal with issues of integration in the office. Just over the last year or so, some national level corporations have begun to add these subjects into the framework of human resource conferences that they normally hold.

A couple of significant business development groups are now showing some interest in hiring older adults with more sophisticated skills. These organizations educate and make member companies aware of the cutthroat competition that mature workers are capable of giving them, especially when the younger workforce begins to shrink.

Despite these changes, concern obviously remains that with increasing cutbacks and layoffs and age-based stereotypes, people’s perceptions will limit the employment of mature workers.

In addition to this, there are persistent perceptions among the older adult community itself that finding an executive or management job, or keeping one, will be extremely difficult if not impossible past the age of 55. Economic necessity and choice will mean that aging baby boomers work longer. This is the result of longer life expectancy, better education and improved health and fitness. Combine these with the more limited private pension benefits and the increasing anxiety over possible changes in Social Security and as many as 80% of baby boomers may work part or full time after they retire from the current job. As boomers retire, there will be a shortage of skilled workers resulting in companies recruiting older workers wit valuable skills.

Statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, say that 50 percent or more of the US workforce, by 2010, is going to consist of people over 40 years of age. Available employee pool in 25 to 34 year age group will shrink sharply. In other words, managing an increasingly aging workforce will become a priority, in addition to which, the business community will have to begin providing various products and services tailored to an ever increasing number of older adults.

In this scenario, businesses that can learn to use their knowledge of a more mature work group, and can effectively employ older workers will be able to position themselves on a path to much greater success. On the other hand, companies that do not take steps to make themselves conversant with these issues, do not learn to deal with these demographic changes, may have to forego a very valuable segment of business as well as workforce.