We’re Headed For an Older Guam Workforce

Seniors on fixed incomes here are being hammered by essentials going up. Gasoline, food, utilities, health care and more. Many who can work are being forced to do so, and that includes folks who formally retired from their principal career only to be startled by the reality that their fixed benefits left them short of what they need each month, plus funds to cover occasional large ticket expenses such as travel to visit relatives off island.

Being squeezed financially isn't the only reason seniors may want to continue working. Many have seen relatives and friends become bored with retirement, longing for the days when they had a reason to get out of bed in the morning. This group will want to stay physically and mentally active for as long as they can.

According to the National Council on Aging, by 2019 more than 40 percent of Americans 55 and over will be employed, making roughly one-fourth of the U.S. labor force. If Guam's numbers fall in line with the rest of the country, local employers will likely be seeing a higher percentage of gray-haired job hopefuls in their waiting area.

Numerous variables

Senior applicants will offer up additional employment options for organizations that may be finding it hard to land the level of talent they need, but there will be numerous variables:

• Many employers prefer youthful workers who are accustomed to lower wages. A healthy percentage of seniors may be willing to work for entry-level pay, considering they only need to supplement their retirement income. Companies may also find it advantageous to pay more to attract a higher level of experience.

• Younger workers may need full-time positions, while many seniors could be in the market for part-time employment.

• Employers generally see youth as more flexible and teachable, with older workers fixed in their ways. This is offset by the considerable experience earned by the seniors.

• Youth comes with a storehouse of energy and physical advantages that senior workers can't match; while the seniors would improve upon the lower engagement and higher turnover rates of the younger employee class.

• Younger workers embrace new technology easier and like to generate fun at work. Their older counterparts have a stronger work ethic, lower absenteeism, are usually better with customers and at working through problems.

Smart to hire young and old

The smart organization will look to hire from both groups, allowing youth and experience to blend together and benefit each other. We may see some unique and even unexpected "partnerships" emerge from these pairings.

All of this will create challenges for managers. We're going to see a lot more situations where someone in their 30s and even 20s will be put in a position of supervising people who are as old or older than their grandparents. It's natural for both sides to be apprehensive.

Like all other manager-employee relationships, it's the manager's responsibility to initiate things and plant positive seeds. The senior employee may be inclined to sit back and wait to see what kind of treatment he/she receives at the hands of the younger supervisor.

Jenna Goudreau, who has written for Forbes and BusinessWeek, suggests that younger managers treat each senior employee as an expert and encourage them to contribute ideas, but don't be afraid to be the boss.

"Young managers who are tasked with guiding people older than themselves often deal with direct reports who question their competence or ability to lead, at the same time as they are coping with their own self-doubt. But in order to do their jobs successfully, they must gain the trust and respect of their employees and confidently navigate the situation."