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The NEWORK Centre
Level 2 Willbank House
57 Willis Street Wellington
Phone 499 1048
e-mail nework@xtra.co.nz

No 24                                                                                    May 2004

 

Vast Majority of Older Workforce is Employed

April 28, 2004

From a Newsletter Herman Trend Alert that comes from the US

We've said it before: More older workers are saying "no" to retirement and continuing to work.

In previous Herman Trend Alerts, we've been very direct in this forecast: Retirement, as we have known it for the past couple of generations, is gone. People will not retire the same way anymore. They will experience phased retirement, gradually working fewer and fewer hours. Some will not end full-time employment for years to come.

Figures from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics verify our assertion. Recent measurements of the American workforce reveal that of the 4,864,000 people who are over 65 and willing and able to work, 4,657,000 (95.7 percent) of them are working today. Of this number, 2,550,000 people work full-time and 2,107,000 are working part-time (less than 35 hours a week). Breaking the statistics down even further, we learn that there are 2,705,000 people in the labor pool (working or seeking work) in the 65 to 69 age range, with 2,614,000 (96.6 percent) working. Of the workforce in the 70 to 74 age range, 1,156,000 of the 1,208,000 (95.6 percent) in the labor pool are employed.

There are 888,000 in the 75 and over labor pool: An astonishing 472,000 (53.2 percent) currently work full-time and 416,000 (46.8 percent) work part-time. There are 319,000 in the 80+ age range workforce, with 309,000 (96.9 percent) of them working.

As employers seek mature, experienced, reliable, and stable employees to form the core of their workforce, the demand for older workers over the next few years will increase. Younger workers will change jobs more frequently, while more stable older employees will remain at their posts. Some commentators attribute current and future labor shortages to the Baby Boomer generation, even though the first wave of the Baby Boomers won't even reach 65 until 2011.

Retirement will not come soon for most Boomers (born 1946-1964). As the composition of the workforce continues to change, older workers will play an increasingly significant role. Their values emphasize the importance of being productive members of society, driving them to continue working-at some level-as long as they can.

"The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible."
............. Richard M. DeVos

Finding that Letter/Report?

Have trouble remembering just where you left that bit of paper

Suzanne and Lorna were talking about their work.

"I hate filing," Lorna said, "No matter how careful I am, I can never find the papers I'm looking for. I forget where I have filed them."

"I used to have that problem too, but no more," Suzanne replied, "Now I make 26 copies of everything I type and file one under each letter of the alphabet. That way, I can't miss it!"
 
I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

Courage

One of the most powerful words in the English language is courage. It is also a characteristic unique to humans.

The reason courage is a uniquely human trait is because it is typically demonstrated for something other than self - a cause, a country, another human - which is abstract thinking, also unique to humans. And courage usually manifests itself after the courageous has had time to think about it. Someone once said, "Courage is fear that has said its prayers." If you've had time to pray, you've had time to change your mind.

Courage is certainly not unique to entrepreneurs, but it is a characteristic very much in evidence in our world. And the abstract that we are willing to fight for is our vision.

When you start a small business, you demonstrate courage. When you persevere in the face of entrenched paradigms and small-minded naysayers, you demonstrate courage.

And what about failure? If you fail - nay, when you fail - welcome to the rarified air of the courageous. Since you can't fail if you don't try, only the courageous can know failure.

Thanks for being part of our portfolio community.

Mistakes are proof that you are trying.
 

Differences Between You and Your Boss... 

When you take a long time, you're slow.
When your boss takes a long time, he's thorough.

When you don't do it, you're lazy.
When your boss doesn't do it, he's too busy.

When you make a mistake, you're an idiot.
When your boss makes a mistake, he's only human.

When doing something without being told, you're overstepping your authority.
When your boss does the same thing, that's initiative.

When you take a stand, you're being bull-headed.
When your boss does it, he's being firm.

When you overlooked a rule of etiquette, you're being rude.
When your boss skips a few rules, he's being original.

When you please your boss, you're apple polishing.
When your boss pleases his boss, he's being co-operative.

When you're out of the office, you're wandering around.
When your boss is out of the office, he's on business.

When you're on a day off sick, "you're always sick".
When your boss is a day off sick, "he must be very ill".

When you apply for leave, you must be going for an interview.
When your boss applies for leave, it's because he's overworked

 

The NEWORKer can be viewed online at the Work & Age Website http://www.nework.co.nz

 

 
 
   
© 2003 The Nework Centre   |   email neworknz@yahoo.co.nz
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