This document discusses strategies for attracting and retaining talent of all ages. It notes that workforces are aging in many countries and will include more mature workers in the future. Younger workers also have different needs and preferences than previous generations. The document recommends analyzing your workforce to understand generational differences and tailoring engagement strategies to different age groups. It emphasizes the importance of strong communication, engaging leaders, and flexibility to meet the varying needs of a multigenerational workforce.

1. Attract and Retain Talent of all Ages

2. - Peter F. Drucker

4. “At fifteen, I set my heart on learning.
At thirty, I was firmly established.
At forty, I had no more doubts. At
fifty, I knew the will of Heaven. At
sixty, I was ready to listen to it. At
seventy, I could follow my heart’s
desire without transgressing what
was right.” -Confucius

5. Percent of Population Age 60+ 2025
Under 5% 5% to 12.4% 12.5% to 20% Above 20%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau

6. The Mature Worker

7. 34%
25%
20%
16%
4%
1%
50 or Under 51-60 61-65 66-75 75 or older Never
At what age do you plan to retire?
Source: The New Employee/Employer Equation, The Concours Group and Age Wave, 2004

8. 49%
39%
Preference for working
after “retirement”
12%
Working full-time Working part-time Moving back and forth
between working full-time and
not working
Source: The New Employee/Employer Equation, The Concours Group and Age Wave, 2004

10. 40 38
35
35 32
30
30 26
25 21
% 20 18
15 15 16
15
9 8
10
5
0
Looking for a new job at another Feeling at a dead end Fear of being laid off or fired
company
Y X Boomer Traditionalist
Source: The New Employee/Employer Equation, The Concours Group and Age Wave, 2004
10

11. Mature Workers –
The Good News on Engagement
70 65 61
57
60
52 53
48
50 45 44
39
40 35
32
28
%
30
20
10
0
I really care about I’m willing to put in I find my values
the fate of this effort beyond that and the
organization normally expected organization’s are
(agree) to help the similar (agree)
organization be
successful (agree)
Y X Boomer Traditionalist
11
Source: The New Employee/Employer Equation, The Concours Group and Age Wave, 2004

12. Mature Workers –
The Good News on Engagement
70
64
61
60
54
49
50 46
42
40 37
% 33 35
28 28
35
30
20
10
0
A good deal of my pride Time seems to pass I often feel energized by
comes from my work and quickly when I’m at work my work
career (agree) (agree)
Y X Boomer Traditionalist
Source: The New Employee/Employer Equation, The Concours Group and Age Wave, 2004
12

13. Keys to Engaging Mature Workers:
1. Give them an opportunity to contribute in
meaningful ways
2. Provide opportunities to continue improving
their skills and stretching their talents
3. Flexible work arrangements, especially
schedules, will become more and more
important

14. The Mid-Career
Worker

16. Keys to Engaging Mid-Career Workers:
1. Mid-career workers are looking for
comprehensive benefit plans
2. They want the flexibility to meet work and
life commitments
3. They need stimulation, variety and a change
of pace, sometimes including the chance to
reinvent themselves

17. The Young Workers

19. 40 38
35
35 32
30
30 26
25 21
% 20 18
15 15 16
15
9 8
10
5
0
Looking for a new job at another Feeling at a dead end Fear of being laid off or fired
company
Y X Boomer Traditionalist
Source: The New Employee/Employer Equation, The Concours Group and Age Wave, 2004

20. Young Workers –
The Bad News on Engagement
70 65 61
57
60
52 53
48
50 45 44
39
% 40
32
35
28
30
20
10
0
I really care about I’m willing to put in I find my values
the fate of this effort beyond that and the
organization normally expected organization’s are
(agree) to help the similar (agree)
organization be
successful (agree)
Y X Boomer Traditionalist
Source: The New Employee/Employer Equation, The Concours Group and Age Wave, 2004

21. Young Workers –
The Bad News on Engagement
70
64
61
60
54
49
50 46
42
40 35 37 35
33
28 28
% 30
20
10
0
A good deal of my pride Time seems to pass I often feel energized by
comes from my work and quickly when I’m at work my work
career (agree) (agree)
Y X Boomer Traditionalist
Source: The New Employee/Employer Equation, The Concours Group and Age Wave, 2004

22. Keys to Engaging Young Workers:
1. They are highly independent, both
functionally and intellectually
2. They are situational vs. structured
3. Remember that they are more likely to
process information digitally
4. Highly comfortable with diversity, beware
one-size-fits-all approaches

23. “The single biggest
problem in
communication is the
illusion that it has
taken place.”
-George Bernard Shaw

24. Engagement Strategy:
1. Communication is your Cornerstone
 Are you meeting the13x requirement
 How are you seeking and getting feedback
from employees?
 Business is not T-Ball
 How do your messages cascade?
 Making the most of true believers

25. Engagement Strategy:
2. Analyze your Workforce
Timothy Butler & James Waldroop
“Job Sculpting” Harvard Business
Review
September-October 1999

26. Engagement Strategy:
2. Analyze your Workforce
Observation Assessments
 Time Consuming  Quick
 Expensive  Inexpensive
 Highly Subjective  Highly Objective

27. Engagement Strategy:
3. Engage Your Leaders
 The Engagement impact of first-line
supervisors
 360° assessment for all “People Leaders”
 Don’t leave anything to chance
 Individualize your approach to each group

28. How Not to
Redesign
Work

29. Engagement must Start at the Top!
 The need for Senior Champions
 Engagement is not FREE
 Link with your Strategic Plan
 Keep it simple
 Hypocrisy travels even faster than bad
news