More Workers Postpone Retirement

By: Lisa Jordan Click author's name for more of his/her articles

You’ve heard about the increasing numbers of American workers who are either postponing their retirement or re-entering the workforce. Why is this happening—and what does this trend mean for employers?

In 1935, the U. S. Social Security Act set the retirement age at 65. Back then, men who lived to age 30 could expect to survive until the age of 67. Women who lived to 30 had a life expectancy to 70. After working on a farm or in a factory, retiring at 65 really meant an end to a person's working life!

Today the statistics have changed. Life expectancy in the U.S. is 74 for men and 80 for women. That means the average worker will experience a "retirement" period of nine to fifteen years—and for many it will be much longer.

According to a recent CareerBuilder.com survey, 51 percent of workers age 50 or older are postponing retirement. Many mature workers are looking to change careers, and nearly three out of five workers age 50 or older plan to seek new jobs after retiring from their present jobs.

Why Are Mature Workers Staying in the Workforce?

• The global recession means a huge loss in the value of the investments workers had depended on to fund their retirements. Home values have sunk too low to provide the nest egg many seniors need, and interest rates on cash-based assets is close to zero. Between September 2007 and December 2008, assets in retirement accounts lost $2.8 trillion, or 32 percent of their value.

• A big mistake that many make in their financial planning is assuming that retirement is inexpensive. Most people need to make 80 percent of their working salary to afford their retired lifestyle. Medical expenses including insurance premiums, non-covered medical care, and prescription drug costs can eat away at savings.

• Boredom is a factor, too. A recent Worth magazine survey found that 41 percent of new retirees found retirement very difficult. High-energy workers who dreamed of spending relaxing days on the golf course indulge themselves for a year or two and then yearn for a productive life.

• Many older people seek a job that provides them with a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. They want to help others and add value to society. Work activity often keeps a person more youthful and more vital, and looking forward to productive work can be an inspiring motivator for mature workers, and if illness does strike it can promote quicker recovery. When faced with life tragedies such as the death of a spouse or a child, many older people cite work as their reason to go on living.

What does this mean for employers? When hiring, employers now have a bigger, more qualified talent pool from which to choose. A job notice that attracted twenty applications ten years ago might now attract fifty. And employers are increasingly finding that the applications that rise to the top of the pile are from highly qualified mature workers.

If you are an employer, to access a pool of motivated mature workers, contact your local WorkSource Center. Visit http://www.worksourcecalifornia.com/ and click the Business Resources link on the left. Mature workers seeking employment may also visit the same site and click on Services for Job Seekers.

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: Lisa Jordan is a disability and workforce development expert. Lisa uses her keen ability to identify challenges and develop solutions so that workforce development professionals can increase their comfort level, productivity and effectiveness when working with a diverse clientele. Download Lisa’s Special Report on 5 Easy Disability Tips to Immediately Increase Agency Accessibility by visiting www.human-solutions.net