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Spring, 2008
A Gift or a Sentence?
The generation referred to as the “Silent
Generation” (birthdates:1922-1946) life pattern
was education, work, and retirement. Retirement
meant the end of ‘work’ and the beginning of
freedom to pursue a life of leisure and personal
priorities. People left their jobs and did not
seek other paid work. Retirement at 65 was
mandated. Retirement at 55 was a dream.
The Boomer Generation (birthdates:1947-1966) has
generally followed that pattern for the first
couple of stages of the life pattern - -
education, then work. Freedom 55 became a mantra
for the Boomer generation. And then - - -
Boomers delayed having children and then had
fewer of them. Changes in medicine, health,
fitness, lifestyle, attitudes and economic
conditions created a difference in aging. That
difference translated being 55 into old enough
to do it well, young enough to do it – whatever
IT is. As the commercial says “the generation
that said it would never grow old, isn’t – or at
least hasn’t yet and probably won’t at 65 – but
might at 75 or 80.
Urban Futures Institute research indicates that
the median retirement age declined significantly
between 1976 and 1999 and remained reasonably
constant until 2003. The maturing of the 75 or
80 rule pension plans are likely responsible for
that. There are some indications that the median
age of retirement may begin to increase, but it
will take a few more years to determine if the
slight increase in median retirement age seen in
2003 is the beginning of a trend or an anomaly.
We can guess with reasonable certainty that the
education, work, retirement pattern for life is
going to be modified. It will probably look more
like, education, work, education, work, hiatus
from work and education, work, hiatus,
education, work, retirement, education . . . .
It will happen because the speed at which change
occurs has increased. It will happen because the
changing world means the end of some work and
the beginning of new kinds of work. It will
happen because people are living longer and are
healthier at older ages. It will happen because
people need to continue to participate in the
workforce in order to support a longer life and
to contribute to the economy in which they live.
It will happen because globalization has created
opportunities and responsibilities that have not
previously existed in the same way.
As it has been with pretty much everything with
the Boomer generation, retirement (the point
when a person finally and fully leaves the
workforce) will be on their own terms. For some,
that will be at 50 or 55. For others it will be
at 70 or 75 (or maybe 85).
The Boomer generation may be leading people back
to work as a part of life as long as one lives.
Recruiting
Some new approaches to recruiting are appearing
as the competition for talent intensifies.
This spring, Randstad sponsored a new approach
to Job Fairs. For the first time in Canada,
Voicejob Inc. a Virtual Job and Education Fair,
eFairJob, was held from March 17th to the 28th.
A revolution in recruitment, this first-ever
Virtual Job Fair was held online, 24 hours a
day, during 12 days across Canada.
eFairJob is presented as a user-friendly website
with a 3D interface. Candidates can circulate in
the fair at 360 degrees just as if they were
physically there. Companies and candidates
interact easily by exchanging information,
networking with other professionals and meeting
in a virtual world.
Social & Professional networking sites like
Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn are becoming
recruiting networking sites as employees are
encouraged to provide information about jobs
available in their organizations and
organizations open their own pages with
information about jobs and links to websites.
A recent survey, conducted by Zinc Research and
its partner Dufferin Research reports that
almost 9 out of 10 Canadians between the ages of
18 and 34 are members of Facebook. "Young adults
have adopted Facebook as the de facto
communication and networking platform," says
Brian Singh, Managing Director of Zinc Research
“Companies that grasp this reality and develop a
Facebook-related attraction and retention
strategy will better connect to their workforce
and get the upper hand in business."
www.zincresearch.com/pressroom.htm
Workforce
Unemployment Rates remain low keeping
recruitment of the right talent a top priority
for organizations. Alberta’s labor force grew by
14,700 workers between February 2007 and
February 2008. During that same period 17,700
people were added to the workforce reducing the
unemployment rate from 3.3% February 2007 to
2.8% in February 2008. The Canada wide
unemployment rate at the end of February 2008
was 5.8%, down from 6.1% in February 2007.
Looking for more information or need some help
with these or other HR issues? Please
get in touch.
News
Fitness
My winter newsletter discussed implications
of the punitive approach to unhealthy employees.
A recent headline in the Herald: “MLA urges
fitness tax credit”. Dave Rodney, besides
representing Calgary-Lougheed, is also a fitness
buff – he has climbed Mount Everest twice – has
suggested that the provincial government
institute a $1,500/year tax credit for fitness
related activities as a way to help minimize
health care costs. I wonder, is the carrot a
more powerful influencer than the stick?
There is a growing amount of information and
discussion about the impact of unhealthy
lifestyle choices on both the cost of health
benefits and productivity. We can expect to see
this continue to grow as the costs associated
with poor health rise.
Cell Phones
A recent article by Russell Zinn in the Canadian
Employment Law today(1) discusses the potential
liability of employers for employee accidents
while the employee was using a cell phone while
driving. While there has yet to be a case in
Canada, there have been a number in the US where
employers have been held responsible and have
been required to pay significant damages. Zinn
indicates that employers should be implementing
policies prohibiting or at the very least
providing training in the dangers of using a
cell phone while driving.
Legislative Change
B.C. has joined the list of provinces that
have abolished mandatory retirement. Nova Scotia
is the sole remaining province with a mandatory
retirement age.
- Canadian
Employment Law Today. “Employees driving
under the influence – of a cell phone.”
Russell Zinn. Issue #503, February 13, 2008.
www.employmentlawtoday.com
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What is Anne Doing?
Anne developed and delivered, along with
colleague, Kellie Donohue, a seminar on
Strategies for Dealing with a Diminishing
Workforce on March 7 at Mount Royal
College.
On April 9, at the Canadian Association of
Family Enterprise (CAFÉ) Business Event “Family
Business and Change” Anne presented to the
audience of more than 100 family business owners
on how companies can Maximize the
Potential of Human Resources.
Mount Royal College is introducing an Advanced
Human Resource Management Certificate with
courses available in January 2009. Anne is
developing the curriculum and materials for the
Developing a Human Resource Business Plan
course.
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