New York Employers Not Rushing To Hire Older Workers

Joy Davia, writing for the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, reports that while New York area businesses will be losing workers full of experience and institutional knowledge, but won't have nearly enough Generation X-ers and Y-ers to replace them, "[m]ost businesses are aware of the problem but are not preparing for such a scenario, according to a recent upstate New York study by the AARP. They're not actively trying to attract and keep older workers or getting experienced workers to mentor younger cohorts, among other moves."

It might be hard for businesses to take a potential worker shortage seriously, especially if they're not already having trouble finding skilled employees. In fact, massive downsizings by local companies have left an abundance of people searching for jobs. "Change happens so rapidly," said Matthew Hurlbutt, executive director of RochesterWorks. "It might be hard for a business to look at an issue in 2010 and say they should start preparing for this now."

Davia writes that two of the most important things for employers to consider are making jobs attractive for older workers and capturing their knowledge. For example, the YMCA of Greater Rochester offers flexible hours — maybe part time or job-sharing — and benefits, including a new initiative that offers part timers health insurance. And, on the other side, Strong Memorial Hospital has a new mentoring program designed to get more nurses into one of its toughest fields; mentoring, according to Davia is hailed by experts as a great way to prepare for the upcoming swell of boomer retirements.

Source: "Older workers hold key to easing staffing woes" Rochester Democrat & Chronicle (January 29, 2006)