Boomers Hit 62 in June!

We have been anticipating for years the tidal wave of Baby Boomers who will be hitting the retirement age all at once. That time is here, the first wave of Boomers have just qualified for Social Security. This could be really bad news, however, according to a recent study conducted by the AARP, most of them are not planning on retiring, not completely anyway. They found that most Baby Boomers expect to work at least part-time in their retirement.

According to Charles Wonderlic of the famed employment management and testing firm, Wonderlic, Inc., this is really good news for business. His research shows that you may get the most dedication and retention from senior workers. Here's what he's found:

Dedication. Senior workers are dedicated to the concept of doing a good job. It's an old-fashioned value often not found in younger workers, says Wonderlic.

Motivation. Senior workers actually want to work! Some, of course, simply are after supplementary income, but they also want to get out of the house, to interact with people, and to do something useful.

Satisfaction. Seniors aren't trying to advance up the ladder. They're not gaining experience just to move on to another employer. They're not competing with their co-workers. They are satisfied where they are.

Experience. Seniors can handle a lot. Tough boss? Lazy boss? Annoying aspects to the job? They've seen and heard it all. Whatever it is, they just take it in stride.

Work ethic. Studies show that seniors come to work on time, don't complain, and do their jobs with enthusiasm.

Some people call this collection of characteristics the "Silver Collar." Whatever you call it, you're going to have a good experience with your older workers, says Wonderlic. Of course, you'll have to modify some policies to make allowances for the flexibility that older workers require. Well, just add that to the list of policies that need upgrading, right?

Need help updating your company policies? PeopleWise can help! Call 816-858-7300 today!

Hire for attitude, train for skill.

"I just don't understand why everyone at work is complaining about me," a woman in my office whined. "The same thing happened at my last job too." Though she could not see the cause/effect of her actions, it was clear she was alienating people in the workplace. The most likely reason? Her attitude.

Unfortunately, I have never had any success "adjusting" someone else's attitude. I learned early in my management experience that it was easier to teach new skills than it was to change attitudes. To find employees with great attitudes, the following guidelines for hiring and staff development are helpful:

*The best you will ever see is the first 90 days. If you have a problem with an employee while they are still on probation, you might as well cut bait. This is the time that they have their best foot forward.

*If they complain about the last boss, they will complain about you too. Exercise great caution in hiring someone who has nothing good to say about his or her last boss or last position. It may be more about them than their employment. People who blame are hard to coach.

*Are they an optimist or pessimist? Ascertain how they appear to see the world. Pessimistic people tend to be energy suckers in the workplace and can breed an institutional pathology that pulls others into their negative energy.

*Do they demonstrate personal insight and a commitment to their development? Those committed to ongoing self-improvement are much more coachable and willing to learn new skills and behaviors. Ask in the interview what areas may need improvement. Inquire about the details of the candidate's personal plan for development.

*Are they coachable? How receptive to feedback do they seem to be? It's easy to assess in an interview; offer them some suggestions regarding their resume. If they are quick to disagree, defend, or actually become huffy, they are not likely to welcome your input on more significant matters.

*Do they listen? You can forget all of the above if the potential employee is not a good listener. They will have performance problems, people conflict and difficulty receiving feedback.


There are three keys to truly ensure the quality and effectiveness of your hiring process and consequently of those you hire. They are:

1. Competency Modeling
2. Effective Interviewing Processes and Techniques.
3. Comprehensive Candidate Assessments.

For more helpful hiring tips check out http://www.pwhrm.com/