2014 Older Workers Survey (Part 2)

SHRM Survey Findings: The Aging Workforce—
Recruitment and Retention
Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
January 12, 2015

The Aging Workforce—Recruitment and Retention ©SHRM 2014 2
Introduction and Definition
Introduction
SHRM and the SHRM Foundation have launched a national initiative highlighting the value of older
workers and identifying—through original research—the best practices for employing an aging workforce.
This three-year initiative is generously underwritten by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
The purpose of this research is to:
 Investigate the current demographics of organizations and their views on how the demographic
breakdown of their workforces is likely to change in the future in both their organizations and
industries.
 Determine what, if any, actions organizations are taking to prepare for an aging workforce, including
recruiting and retention strategies to specifically target older workers.
 Identify the skills and experience HR professionals most value in older workers.

3
Introduction and Definition (continued)
The following topics are included in the three-part series titled 2014 Older Workers Survey:
 Part 1: State of Older Workers in U.S. Organizations
 Part 2: Recruitment and Retention
 Part 3: Basic and Applied Skills
Definition
 For the purpose of this survey, “older workers” were defined as employees age 55 or older.
The Aging Workforce—Recruitment and Retention ©SHRM 2014

• Changes in retention, recruiting and general management policy practices in response to aging
workforces: Two-fifths of responding organizations indicated the increasing age of their workforce has
not prompted changes in retention (42%), recruiting (42%) or general management policy practices
(41%).
• Recruiting methods to directly target older workers: Of responding organizations that indicated the
increasing age of their organization’s workforce has prompted changes in their recruiting practices, the
most commonly reported recruiting method to directly target older workers was through employee
referrals (33%); one-quarter (24%) indicated they relied on networking.
 Over one-half (54%) indicated they do not actively recruit older workers.
• Use of social media to target older workers: Of responding organizations that indicated they used
social media to target older workers, three-quarters (74%) indicated they used LinkedIn, and one-half
(49%) indicated they used Facebook.
• Level of difficulty in recruiting older workers: About one-fifth to one-quarter of HR professionals
indicated it is easy/extremely easy to recruit exempt and nonexempt older workers (21% and 24%,
respectively).
• Level of difficulty in retaining older workers: About two-fifths of HR professionals indicated it is
easy/extremely easy to retain exempt and nonexempt older workers (45% and 42%, respectively).
4
Key Findings

• Factors contributing to difficulty in retaining older workers: Of HR professionals who indicated it is
“difficult” or “very difficult” for their organization to retain older workers compared to other workers, the
three most challenging factors cited included:
 Inability to offer flexibility in work location (e.g., working from home, satellite offices) (47%).
 Inability to offer career flexibility (e.g., reduced responsibilities, job change/occupation shift)
(45%).
 Inability to offer work hour flexibility (e.g., reduced hours, job-sharing, phased retirement, part-
year employment) (44%).
• Level of difficulty in recruiting older workers by employee type: About one-quarter of HR
professionals indicated it is difficult or extremely difficult to recruit older workers qualified for labor,
skilled (25%), executive (25%), salaried individual contributor/professional (22%) and management
(22%) positions compared to other workers.
 Regardless of the type of position, a lack of or few applications from older workers for eligible
positions was the most cited difficulty in filling positions with older workers who are qualified
compared to other workers (46%-60%).
5
Key Findings (continued)

6
• Older workers who were formerly retirees: Two-thirds (66%) of responding organizations indicated
their organization employs older workers who retired from other organizations or careers before joining
their organization.
 However, the vast majority (90%) indicated just 1%-20% of their organization’s older workers were
retirees before joining their organization.
 Of responding organizations that indicated they employ older workers who were formerly retirees,
about two-fifths (43%) indicated all of these employees were in full-time positions, and just 11%
indicated they were all in part-time positions; almost one-half (46%) indicated they were mixed
between full-time and part-time positions.
• Factors in former retirees returning to work: Almost three-quarters (72%) of HR professionals
indicated money was a factor in former retirees returning to work; almost three-fifths (58%) indicated
enjoyment/occupying time was a factor, and about two-fifths indicated health care benefits (45%) and
social interaction (42%) contributed to the decision to return to work.
• Capitalizing on and incorporating the experience of older workers: Over three-fifths (61%) of HR
professionals indicated their organization attempts to capitalize on and incorporate the experience of
older workers to “some” or a “great extent.”

7
• Formal strategies for retaining or recruiting older workers: Very few responding organizations
indicated they have a formal strategy for retaining (4%) or recruiting (3%) older workers. Of responding
organizations that indicated they have a formal strategy to recruit or retain older workers:
 About one-half (48%) indicated they offered reduced hours or part-time positions to older workers,
two-fifths hired retired employees as consultants or temporary workers (40%) and/or started
flexible scheduling (37%), and about one-third created positions/redesigned positions that allow
bridge employment (30%) and/or offered phased/gradual retirement (30%).
• Steps taken to recruit or retain older workers: Of HR professionals who indicated their organization
has taken a specific step(s) to recruit or retain older workers, the majority indicated hiring retired
employees as consultants or temporary workers (67%), offering reduced hours or part-time positions to
older workers (57%) and starting flexible scheduling (63%) were very effective in recruiting or retaining
older workers.
• Use of steps/methods implemented to recruit or retain older workers: Of responding organizations
that indicated they have taken a specific step(s) to recruit or retain older workers, less than one-quarter
indicated that more than one-half of their eligible employees actually used reduced hours or part-time
positions (21%), flexible scheduling (24%) or phased/gradual retirement (16%) programs for older
workers.

8
Implications for HR
• As the workforce continues to age, the percentage of organizations prompted to make changes in
general management policy/practices, retention practices or recruiting practices is likely to increase.
Even HR professionals in industries and sectors that currently skew toward younger employees will
need to consider how the aging population will affect them.
• The more highly skilled positions are likely to continue to be the most challenging for organizations to
fill and are thus the jobs for which the greatest efforts to locate qualified older workers will be made.
• Currently, recruiting and retaining older workers are not seen as particularly difficult. However, this
could change if skills shortages ramp up demand.
• Because employee referrals and networking are currently the most common ways organizations are
targeting older workers, employees themselves are a central part of the recruitment of older workers.
• The recruitment of older workers is likely to become more integrated into overall diversity initiatives.
• The use of social media to target older workers could become more prevalent, especially if
generational differences in the use of these kinds of technologies start to fade.

9
Implications for HR (continued)
• Organizations that currently indicate that it is “difficult” or “very difficult” to retain older workers
compared to other workers provided a sense of what factors play the biggest role in meeting the
needs of this demographic: offering flexibility in work location, career structure, work hours and
scheduling, and type of employment and benefits attractive to older workers.
• Although most organizations do employ older workers who retired from other organizations or
careers before joining their organization, it remains a fairly small percentage of their overall
workforce.
• As the workforce ages and especially if skills shortages intensify, learning the best ways to
incorporate the experience of older workers will be considered a competitive edge. Thus, HR
professionals will likely be increasingly focused on recruiting and retaining the best older workers.
This could influence all aspects of the employment from the type of flexible work arrangements
organizations offer to employee benefits.

10
Extent Increasing Age of Organization’s Workforce Has
Prompted Changes in . . .
Note: n = 1,832-1,843. Respondents who indicated “Not applicable” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding.
8%
7%
4%
27%
26%
24%
24%
26%
31%
41%
42%
41%
Recruiting practices
Retention practices
General management policy/practices
To a great extent To some extent To a small extent Not at all

33%
24%
14%
13%
13%
12%
11%
8%
7%
6%
4%
3%
2%
1%
1%
3%
54%
Employee referrals
Networking
Internet (e.g., websites geared toward older audience)
Employment agencies
Use of current older workers as recruiters
Social media
Temporary firms
Executive search firms
Specify older workers are welcomed & encouraged to apply
Government-based employment programs
Churches
Recruit through local senior citizen community groups
Older workers’ job fairs
Newsletters (e.g., AARP Bulletin)
Retirement communities
Other
We do not actively recruit older workers
11
Recruiting Methods Used by Organizations to Directly
Target Older Workers
Note: n = 1,074. Only respondents who indicated the increasing age of their organization’s workforce has prompted changes in their recruiting
practices were asked this question. Percentages do not equal100% due to multiple response options.

12
Social Media Resources Used by Organizations to
Directly Target Older Workers in Their Recruiting Efforts
Note: n = 115. Only respondents who indicated their organization uses social media to target older workers were asked this question. Percentages do not
equal 100% due to multiple response options.
1 Other than SHRM Connect
74%
49%
28%
28%
10%
9%
8%
3%
3%
2%
1%
11%
LinkedIn
Facebook
Professional or association social networking site
Twitter
YouTube
SHRM Connect
Google+
Foursquare
Pinterest
MySpace
Second Life
Other
1

13
9%
10%
46%
48%
45%
42%
Exempt older workers
Nonexempt older workers
Extremely difficult/Difficult Neither easy nor difficult Easy/Extremely easy
Recruit
Retain
17%
17%
61%
59%
21%
24%
Non-exempt older workers
Note: Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding.
Nonexempt older workers
Difficulty Level to Recruit and Retain Qualified Older Workers
Compared with Other Workers, by Exempt Status

14
25%
22%
22%
7%
25%
17%
46%
44%
47%
45%
46%
41%
29%
34%
31%
48%
30%
41%
Executive (e.g., CEO, CFO, VP)
Management
(e.g., director, manager, supervisor)
Salaried individual contributor/professional
(e.g., analyst, nurse, engineer)
Administrative/secretarial
Labor, skilled
(e.g., technician, mechanic, foreman)
Labor, low-skilled
Note: Respondents who indicated “Not applicable” were excluded from this analysis.
n = 1,064
n = 1,123
n = 1,549
n = 1,464
n = 1,601
n = 1,300
Difficulty Level to Recruit Qualified Older Workers Compared
with Other Workers, by Job Category

Note: n = 242. Only respondents who indicated it is “Difficult” or “Very difficult” for their organization to retain older workers compared to other
workers were asked this question. Percentages do not equal 100% due to multiple response options.
15
Factors That Contribute to Difficulties in Retaining
Older Workers
My organization is unable to offer . . .
Flexibility in work location (e.g., working from home, satellite offices) 47%
Career flexibility (e.g., reduced responsibilities, job change/occupation shift) 45%
Work hour flexibility (e.g., reduced hours, job-sharing, phased retirement, part-year employment) 44%
Work schedule flexibility (e.g., changing starting and ending times periodically, compressed
workweek )
43%
Flexibility in type of employment (e.g., consultant work, temporary work) 38%
Benefits attractive to older workers (e.g., different health care benefits, wellness plans) 34%
Other 15%

16
Factors That Contribute to Difficulties in Recruiting Qualified
Older Workers Compared with Other Workers, by Job
Category
Note: Only respondents who indicated it is “Difficult” or “Very difficult” for their organization to recruit older workers compared to other workers
were asked this question. Percentages do not equal 100% due to multiple response options.
25%
22%
33%
23%
24%
19%
Labor, low-skilled
Labor, skilled
Salaried individual
contributor/professional
Management
Executive
17%
19%
17%
22%
25%
21%
36%
35%
30%
24%
24%
20%
(n = 177)
(n = 270)
(n = 103)
(n = 316)
(n = 340)
(n = 310)
Bias toward older
workers in the hiring
process
Unable to offer
benefits attractive
to older workers
Unable to offer
work schedule
flexibility

Unable to offer
flexibility in work
location
17
Unable to offer
work hour
flexibility
Unable to offer
career flexibility
34%
39%
33%
28%
28%
23%
Labor, low-skilled
Labor, skilled
Salaried individual
Management
Executive
34%
37%
34%
31%
31%
23%
27%
30%
27%
25%
28%
20%
(n = 177)
(n = 270)
(n = 103)
(n = 316)
(n = 340)
(n = 310)
Category (continued)

18
Unable to offer
flexibility in type of
employment
Lack of or few applications
from older workers for
eligible positions
Other
31%
24%
28%
23%
21%
17%
Labor, low-skilled
Labor, skilled
Salaried individual
Management
Executive
60%
56%
48%
54%
47%
46%
15%
13%
20%
17%
17%
17%
(n = 177)
(n = 270)
(n = 103)
(n = 316)
(n = 340)
(n = 310)
Category (continued)

19
Older Workers Retiring from Other Organizations or
Careers Prior to Joining Current Organization
To your knowledge, in your organization, are there
older workers who retired from other organizations or
careers before joining your organization?
Note: n = 1,528. Respondents who indicated “Don’t know” were excluded from
this analysis.
What percentage of older workers at your organization
previously retired from other organizations or careers
before joining your organization?
Note: n = 925. Only respondents who indicated their organization has older
workers who retired from other organizations or careers before joining their
organization were asked this question. Respondents who indicated “Don’t
know” were excluded from this analysis.
66%
34%
Yes
No
Are the older workers in your organization who retired
from other organizations or careers working in full-time,
part-time or a mix of full-time and part-time positions at
your organization?
Note: n = 984. Only respondents who indicated their organization has older
workers who retired from other organizations or careers before joining their
organization were asked this question.
1%
90%
5%
2%
1%
1%
0%
1-20%
21-40%
41-60%
61-80%
81-100%
11%
43%
46%
Part-time
Full-time
A mix

72%
58%
45%
42%
28%
16%
13%
3%
8%
Money
Enjoyment/occupying their time
Health care benefits
Social interaction
Challenge
Retirement benefits
Alternative career tracks for older workers
Wellness programs attractive to older
workers
Other
20
Reasons Retirees Return to Work1
Note: n = 994. Only respondents who indicated their organization has older workers who retired from other organizations or careers before joining their
organization were asked this question. Percentages do not equal 100% due to multiple response options.
1 Survey question: “In your view, why have these former retirees returned to work? (Check all that apply.)”

Note: n = 1,737.
21
Extent Organization Attempts to Capitalize on and
Incorporate the Experience of Older Workers
22%
39%
24%
15%
To a great extent
To some extent
To a small extent
Not at all

22
Organizations That Have a Formal Strategy for Retaining
and Recruiting Older Workers
RecruitRetain
Yes,
4%
No, 96%
Yes, 3%
No,
97%
Note: n = 1,739 Note: n = 1,740

23
Steps Taken to Recruit or Retain Older Workers
Note: n = 99. Only respondents whose organizations have a formal strategy to recruit or retain older workers were asked this question. Percentages do
not equal 100% due to multiple response options.
1 Opportunities that allow near retirees to ease into retirement while allowing the organization to retain good employees.
Percentage
Offered reduced hours or part-time positions to older workers 48%
Hired retired employees as consultants or temporary workers 40%
Started flexible scheduling (e.g., telework, alternative work schedules) 37%
Created positions/redesigned positions that allow bridge employment1
30%
Offered phased/gradual retirement 30%
Provided training to upgrade skills of older workers 29%
Provided opportunities for older workers to transfer to jobs with reduced pay and responsibilities 27%
Increased training and cross-training efforts to induce older workers to stay with or join the
organization
24%
Increased recruiting efforts aimed at older workers who have the skills being lost due to retiring
employees
23%
Offered wellness programs to attract and retain older workers 23%

24
Note: n = 99. Only respondents whose organizations have a formal strategy to recruit or retain older workers were asked this question. Percentages do
not equal 100% due to multiple response options.
2 E.g., at home, “snowbird” employees who work in different locations at different times of the year.
3 E.g., offering deferred retirement option plans (DROPS), which allow workers who reach retirement age to continue working while receiving
contributions to a retirement fund equal to the pension benefit they would receive if they were retired.
Percentage
Asked older workers for feedback via survey or other mechanism about what would encourage them
to join or stay with the organization
23%
Started remote location programs to enable workers to work at the location most convenient for them2
14%
Started job-sharing 13%
Changed health care benefits to attract and retain older workers 10%
Established alternative career tracks for older workers 9%
Have not done/do not plan to do anything 8%
Changed retirement benefits to attract and retain older workers3
7%
Created new benefits to induce older workers to stay with or join the organization 6%
Put it on the radar screen, but essentially have done nothing else 3%
Other 5%
Steps Taken to Recruit or Retain Older Workers (continued)

63%
57%
67%
34%
43%
33%
3%
Started flexible scheduling (e.g., telework,
alternative work schedules)
Offered reduced hours or part-time positions
to older workers*
Hired retired employees as consultants or
temporary workers*
Very effective Somewhat effective Not at all effective
25
Effectiveness of Various Steps Taken to Recruit or Retain
Older Workers
* 0% indicated “Not at all effective.”
Note: Only respondents who indicated their organization has taken a specific step(s) to recruit and/or retain older workers were asked to evaluate
the step(s) taken. Response options (i.e., steps taken) with n < 30 are not reportable (NR). Respondents who indicated “Too soon to evaluate” were
excluded from this analysis.
n = 39
n = 44
n = 32

Note: Only respondents who indicated their organization has taken a specific step(s) to recruit or retain older workers were asked to evaluate the
step(s) taken. Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding. Response options with n < 30 are not reportable (NR).
26
Percentage of Eligible Employees Using Each
Option/Program Implemented by Organization
7%
4%
63%
46%
45%
13%
30%
30%
13%
19%
19%
3%
5%
2%
Offered phased/gradual retirement
Started flexible scheduling (e.g., telework,
alternative work schedules)
Offered reduced hours or part-time
positions to older workers
None 1% to 25% 26% to 50% 51% to 75% 76% or more
n = 47
n = 37
n = 30

27
Demographics

28
Demographics: Organization Industry
Percentage
Professional, scientific, technical and information services 21%
Manufacturing 20%
Government agencies 17%
Health care and social assistance 10%
Retail and wholesale trade, and accommodation and food services 10%
Educational services 8%
Real estate and leasing, and finance and insurance 8%
Transportation and warehousing 6%
Construction 5%
Administrative and support, and waste management and remediation services 4%
Utilities 4%
Note: n = 1,784. Percentages do not equal 100% due to multiple response options.

29
Demographics: Organization Industry (continued)
Percentage
Arts, entertainment and recreation 3%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 3%
Religious, grant-making, civic, professional and similar organizations 3%
Repair and maintenance 3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 2%
Personal and laundry services 1%
Other industry 10%
Note: n = 1,784. Percentages do not equal 100% due to multiple response options.

30
Demographics: Organization Sector
Note: n = 1,696
15%
49%
17%
17%
2%
Publicly owned for-profit
Privately owned for-profit
Nonprofit organization
Government agency
Other

31
Demographics: Organization Staff Size
Note: n = 1,011
16%
35%
24%
20%
6%
1 to 99 employees
100 to 499 employees
500 to 2,499 employees
2,500 to 24,999 employees
25,000 or more employees

32
n = 1,717
U.S.-based operations only 77%
Multinational operations 23%
Single-unit organization: An organization in
which the location and the organization are
one and the same.
39%
Multi-unit organization: An organization that
has more than one location.
61%
Is your organization a single-unit organization or a
multi-unit organization?
Does your organization have U.S.-based
operations (business units) only, or does it
operate multinationally?
n = 1,722
Demographics: Other
Multi-unit headquarters determines HR
policies and practices
53%
Each work location determines HR policies
and practices
4%
A combination of both the work location and
the multi-unit headquarters determines HR
policies and practices
43%
For multi-unit organizations, are HR policies and practices
determined by the multi-unit headquarters, by each work
location or by both?
n = 1,102
Corporate (companywide) 69%
Business unit/division 15%
Facility/location 16%
n = 1,101
What is the HR department/function for
which you responded throughout this
survey?

33
SHRM Survey Findings: 2014 Older Workers Survey—
Recruitment and Retention
• Response rate = 9.9%
• 1,913 HR professionals from a randomly selected sample of SHRM’s membership participated
in this survey
• Margin of error +/-2%
• Survey fielded May-July, 2014
Survey Methodology
Funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

For more survey/poll findings, visit shrm.org/surveys
For more information about SHRM’s Customized Research Services, visit
shrm.org/customizedresearch
Follow us on Twitter @SHRM_Research
34
About SHRM Research
Project lead:
Karen Wessels, researcher, SHRM Research
Project contributors:
Evren Esen, SPHR, director, Survey Programs, SHRM Research
Jennifer Schramm, GPHR, manager, Workforce Trends and Forecasting, SHRM Research
Yan Dong, intern, SHRM Research
Copy editor:
Katya Scanlan, SHRM Knowledge Center

Founded in 1948, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the
world’s largest HR membership organization devoted to human resource management.
Representing more than 275,000 members in over 160 countries, the Society is the
leading provider of resources to serve the needs of HR professionals and advance the
professional practice of human resource management. SHRM has more than 575
affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary offices in China, India and
United Arab Emirates. Visit us at shrm.org.
35
About SHRM

36
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation believes that a carefully reasoned and systematic
understanding of the forces of nature and society, when applied inventively and wisely,
can lead to a better world for all. The Foundation makes grants to support original
research and broad-based education related to science, technology, and economic
performance; and to improve the quality of American life. Though founded in 1934 by
Alfred P. Sloan Jr., then-President and CEO of General Motors, the Foundation is an
independent entity and has no formal relationship with the General Motors Corporation.
The Foundation is unique in its focus on science, technology, and economic
institutions. It believes the scholars and practitioners who work in these fields are chief
drivers of the nation’s health and prosperity. In each grant program, the Foundation
seeks proposals for original projects led by outstanding individuals or teams.
http://www.sloan.org/
About the Sloan Foundation

2014 Older Workers Survey (Part 2)

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to 2014 Older Workers Survey (Part 2)

Similar to 2014 Older Workers Survey (Part 2) (20)

More from shrm

More from shrm (16)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

2014 Older Workers Survey (Part 2)