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Productive Aging in the 21st Century

LETS take a look at the landscape for older workers as it unfolds today.   Baby boomers will begin to reach age 65 by 2010.  Although prevailing attitudes in our society remain slanted against older workers, already there are profound changes taking place. 

Consider these factors;

• There are over 16 million Americans over 55 who are either working or seeking work. 
• Older workers are getting new jobs at an annual rate of 4.1 percent.  This is more than double the .8 percent rate in the general population. 
• Older Americans make up 10 percent of the workforce, but account for 22 percent of the nation’s job growth. 
• By 2015, the number of employees over 55 will reach a record 31.9 million, compared to 18.4 million in 2000.
• Extensive research has found no relationship between age and job performance. Americans age 55 and above take fewer sick days, adapt to new technologies successfully, and are more loyal to their employer than thirtysomethings. 
• A survey of human resource professionals found that 62 percent are hiring retired employees as consultants. 
• By 2010 there will be a severe labor shortage as baby boomers begin to retire and fewer younger workers are available because of slow population growth between 1966 and 1985. Unless we can keep older, productive people working, labor tightness will slow down the economy 

Add to this the raising of Social Security normal retirement from 65 to 67, and the likelyhood of further increases.  The Social Security Earnings Test has been eliminated. Moreover, a long established trend toward early retirement has reached an abrupt halt according to the Employee Benefits Research Institute. The number of people 65 and older who are working or looking for work numbers almost 4.5 million, according to the Census Bureau — a rise of almost 50% between 1980 and 2002.

For resources available to older adults interested in re-entering or remaining in the workforce, please visit: Websites for Older Workers

In a commercial culture aimed at the young, the beautiful and the nimble we do not like to think about aging. Although aging is as inescapable as phases of the moon, negative stereotypes about older adults proliferate. Unfortunately they still find their loudest expression in the workplace.

We cheer roundly when older people demonstrate creativity, can do attitudes and athletic agility. An 88 year old skier or tennis buff is looked on with admiration and respect and may well be saluted in the media. Older celebrities are revered. But for the most part, esteem for seniors paradoxically ceases abruptly at the hiring gate.

What changes is not older peoples' capacity to be vigorous, productive and creative. Rather, society is unwilling to see seniors as vital and active contributors far beyond traditional retirement age. Its assumed that people of a certain age, suddenly turn senile and accept being seen as useless and dispatched to decades on the golf course, playing bingo or just plain idleness as a way of life. You're expected to embrace inconsequence and oblivion.

Its obvious, of course, that no human of any age would choose to experience feelings of uselessness and devalued self worth. Tales of males dying shortly after retirement are legion.

Why should we suppose that older people, whose way of life has been vital, interesting and productive, would not want to sustain that life as long as possible? Much of human dignity is experienced and expressed through work. As social creatures we need to feel valued and empowered, feelings which come from knowing we are contributing to our fellow humans.

Demand grows for older workers MSNBC Article.... "In the 80s, it was MBAs. In the 90s, it was entrepreneurial dot-commers. In this decade, the hottest trend to watch in employment is older workers: Hiring them, keeping them and bringing them back from retirement. Why? A big part of it boils down to two words: Baby Boomers."

In reality, we're facing a demographic time bomb. Yet we seem capable only of short range vision. The scramble to boost today's productivity and this quarter's bottom line blot out concerns for societal and cultural shifts which will affect tomorrow's productivity and bottom line.

At worst, corporate America views old as bad, just look at network TV. Stories of people in their early forties and even mid-thirties feeling marginalized have surfaced in the high tech arena and certain other professions. This is highlighted in a CNN article titled Help Wanted: Older workers need not apply. Read it and weep. Experience is a negative? How foolish must we become? Older workers are feeling the pain of the current recession with their unemployment rate rising. The tired old "Overqualified" Excuse is rampant. Nor is it limited to the U.S. Aging workers in the U.K. are seeing the Rock of Ageism.

In fact, a case can be made that age discrimination is wasting the knowledge base that made the U.S. the leader in high tech over the past forty years, as Dennis Parker writes in Age Discrimination is Killing High Tech.

There is a trend emerging for older workers to leave the work force gradually, and to take on “bridge jobs” before leaving employment.  More and more older workers express a desire to remain economically active, and often need to bring in more income.  Retirement is becoming a long term process. 

Mandatory retirement has been outlawed.  Social Security is becoming more “age neutral”, no longer penalizing those working beyond 65.  Americans are living longer healthier lives and many look forward to years of productive activity after age 65. 

Nevertheless, new attitudes toward work later in life are just beginning to emerge. Out of sheer necessity, societal and cultural attitudes will have to undergo drastic and rapid change to accommodate throngs of active, healthier baby boomers as an economic powerhouse eager and willing to continue productivity. 

Unretirement: Indeed, a concept of "Unretirement' is emerging. You're nearing so-called retirement age, but you're still young and healthy enough not to want to settle for idleness. Is this you? If so, then this is the time for you to explore new ways to live, earn, and work in your unretirement years. This is being reflected with the emergence of websites such as Notyetretired.Com.

The days of older workers summarily being put out to pasture as a cultural imperative must end. Get used to it!

Articles of Interest

Age Discrimination at Work - AARP
Workers should get and keep jobs based on their ability, not age. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects people age 40 and over from employment discrimination based on age. The law says that an employer may not fire, refuse to hire, or treat you differently than other employees because of your age.

The Age of Discrimination
In this upside-down culture, what was once an asset becomes a liability. Until about age 40 or 50, experience is the steppingstone to a promotion. After that, it's viewed as excess baggage. Stereotypes kick in. In one AARP survey of public perceptions, nearly 40 percent of respondents felt that older workers aren't as effective as younger workers. Almost half believed that the majority of older people cannot adapt to change.  

Employment Law  
Age Discrimination Articles.