As Workforce Ages – Vacation Time Is Even More Essential

It is no secret that the American workforce is aging and that many people are continuing to work long after they are eligible to retire.  That is a great thing for organizations because they get to retain valuable and knowledgeable employees in a job market that is increasingly competitive.

This aging workforce is getting more demanding though.  They want flexible work schedules and lots of time for vacations.  Two weeks just is not going to cut it anymore!

If companies want to retain this important sector of the workforce, then they are going to have to get on the ball and start offering things like ‘working vacations’, phased in retirement and compressed workweeks.

One trend that is taking off at some organizations is the working vacation.  While that might sound like an oxymoron to some people, it is actually an ideal situation for people nearing retirement who still enjoy working.  The working vacation allows the employer to still have the employee working, but the employee is not in the office and stays in touch from their vacation destination through the wonders of technology.

My mom’s employer is a great example of an organization being extremely flexible in terms of workweek and vacation time.  My mom is in her 60s but is still a valuable asset to her employer.  She has arranged to work three days a week from home with the understanding that she can take lengthy vacations when she likes.  She loves the arrangement and her employer still reaps the years of knowledge and experience that she has – but it is on my mom’s terms.

The U.S. government is also starting to realize that it needs to change the rules to allow employers to be more flexible.  Under a provision in the new pension law, workers 62 and older can collect partial benefits from their employer without quitting.  The change is effective for most plans starting in January.

So, if you are nearing retirement, but aren’t quite ready to break the ties officially, why not talk to your employer about designing a schedule that allows you more flexibility and vacation time.  You never know, they might be very thankful that you are willing to stay on – even if it means creating special provisions for you.

Posted by on 09/15 at 03:49 PM

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