Age Works: What Corporate America Must Do to Survive the Graying of the Workforce

As the average age of Americans rises, a huge gap will develop between the number of workers needed to run the economy and the number of people of "working age" -- creating a brain drain and skills shortage in corporate America. In Age Works, Beverly Goldberg argues that the coming demographic shifts -- such as the fact that baby boomers win be replaced with a generation 20 million smaller when they retire -- require corporations to attract, train, and retain older workers (the fastest-growing segment of the population). Goldberg looks at a variety of changes that are about to shake the workplace. She then helps managers plan for the onslaught by preparing their companies to reverse the trend toward early retirement created by a decade of downsizing and age discrimination. Forward-looking companies, she warns, must keep older workers in the fold by providing portable pensions, health care, flex-time, and flex-jobs. With effective tips for rebuilding company loyalty without making guarantees of lifetime employment, this is an indispensable guide for employers who must respond to a rapidly changing workforce -- or suffer the consequences.