Issue is more critical for some employers than others, survey finds. As the first wave of Baby Boomers reaches age 55 this year, many will elect early retirement, potentially escalating what is already a major war for talent. Yet most employers have not yet developed an ongoing strategy for managing this phenomenon's impact on their organization, a new survey indicates. The study by human resource consulting firm William M. Mercer, Incorporated, documents how employers view employment among those near and at retirement age and assesses which industries are most vulnerable.
Higher education tops the list because of the prevalence of tenure among faculty members.
Such arrangements may include reduced hours or schedules, special assignments, temporary or consulting work, job sharing, and telecommuting. This is often done through the use of an outside employment agency. It can occur as part of a corporate program, or it may be a decision made on a local level. The survey also asked about employers' treatment of health and retirement benefits for older workers and rehired retirees, and found a variety of approaches being used. About the survey Mercer surveyed 232 large US employers to learn their views on employment of workers who are near and at retirement age.