Short-Sighted Thinking
I’m in chilly Columbus, OH delivering some management training but I wanted to take a moment to thank @employeefactor for bringing this article to everyone’s attention. The Boston Globe reported on an employment trend reversal that indicates companies are hiring older workers and fewer teens.
I can totally see this. Due to the economy, many Baby Boomers can’t afford to retire right now. Companies are favoring the older/more experienced worker over the younger/less experienced. It’s a business decision . . . companies can save some bucks right now with less ramp up time and new hire training while still getting a productive employee. Makes sense, right?
Wrong. Companies need to realize that this philosophy is very short-sighted. Now, I’m not implying that you should fire all of your older workers. Nor should you only hire young people. But companies need to pay attention to demographics.
At some point, the Boomers are going to retire. And, when they do … who’s going to be left to do the work? You got it: all those people you haven’t been hiring and training right now.
Businesses need to have a short-term and long-term plan in place. We need experienced workers to not only get things done but mentor our future workforce. Now more than ever, companies should be doing some strategic succession planning to ensure that they will have the talent they need . . . when they need it.
P.S. Speaking of productivity, be sure to check out the latest Carnival of HR, hosted by i4cp. They’ve assembled the latest and greatest commentary about productivity in the workplace. The Bartender is honored to be a part of the list. Thanks Erik and the i4cp team!
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