Marketing to Boomers and 50 Plus? I'm JUST Irritated.

At 78 million plus strong, we are a marketers dream. The Boomer and 50 Plus generation falls into two camps. Those with and those without. Money, that is.

Marketers are falling over each other to find out what we will or won't spend our money on. Will there be a recession? Won't there be a recession? Will the media frenzy about the maybe yes/maybe no recession force a recession? What does Ben Bernake think?

I'll tell you what I think.

• If I have a job and a house and can pay my bills...no recession.
• If I have lost my job, lost or in the process of losing my house and cannot pay my bills...recession.

Regardless of what happens in the overall economy, it is our personal need and perception that really counts after all. So what I want to know from you is this:

What do you WANT to spend your money on in 2008?

What do you NEED to spend your money on in 2008?

What will you NOT spend your money on in 2008?

Add your comments to this post or email me directly at wspiegel@genplususa.com. I may post a survey and if I do, I'll also make sure to publish results.

Amy Zuckerman profiled on CNN

Lots of hullaballoo this past week over the very important survey that Amy and I put together to get some stats on the virtual business trend and careers for Boomers and 50 Plus. We teamed up with EONS, who featured the survey on their home page over the weekend and now have it installed on my Eons group. I encourage you to make yourself heard...your voice counts.

And so does Amy's...she was profiled on CNN -- Living. To learn more about the concepts that are shaping and changing the workforce, read the article!

Amy Zuckerman and Wendy Spiegel join forces: New national survey on Eons

I'm very pleased to announce that after some serious trendwatching, Amy Zuckerman (of A-Z International) and I have put together a relevant survey on what our demographic is thinking regarding their future careers and the virtual business trend. We teamed up with Eons to get the word out and the survey is picking up interest. It features this weekend and over the next couple of weeks on Eons. Please stop by and make your voice heard. Here is the intro to the survey:

Millions of Americans work out of home or small rental offices utilizing technology to drive their work or business. How many are doing so is unknown as the U.S. Census Bureau has not changed its questions to track the virtual business trend. To do so requires a Congressional mandate, and to date no one in Congress has made public their aim to champion this issue.This may change soon as the New York Times Magazine and NPR recently put a focus on the home-based working population, with Times writer Matt Bai in early November challenging the 2008 presidential candidates to focus on the needs of the growing number of home-based business owners. What he missed was the larger trend – the rise of the virtual work place -- of which home-based entrepreneurs are just a percentage.
Working virtually means operating a business in a small-office setting with technology as a key support mechanism.Given that many people working virtually are Boomers, EONS has teamed up with Amy Zuckerman, the EONS Virtual Business manager and Wendy Spiegel, the EONS Careers for Boomers and 50+ manager, to develop a survey to gather data on the virtual work place and shed some light on Boomer career ambitions. Please take a few minutes to fill out this survey so we can collect missing data, and inform the public. Without data from you on your work styles and retirement plans neither government or service providers -- from homebuilders to broadband providers, health insurers to technology vendors -- can meet your needs.

Choose 2 Lead Survey and Press Release

Many of you have already contributed your thoughts to the Choose 2 Lead survey I'm running on the blog (see the top of the main blog page). Shirley Clark, one of the founding members of Choose 2 Lead has passed along their recent press release detailing the goals of the survey. I've included a link as well as the body copy below. The survey will only run for two or three more weeks and your experience is vitally important, as survey results are being used as part of a commissioned report on jobs for older workers. If you've been meaning to take the survey, but haven't yet, please click on the link and take the survey. Takes about 3 minutes and the contribution of your information is valuable and needed.

Are tools available to help over-50 job seekers find flexible work?
2007-10-25
By Shirley Clark and Patty Reed

What is being done to help older workers find jobs that meet their needs? Choose 2 Lead is examining the tools available to the over-50 job seekers in a new study sponsored by the Sloan Foundation.

For_Immediate_Release:

Oakton, VA, October 24, 2007 –Workers over aged 50 are staying in the workforce longer than ever, due to desire or economic necessity. In fact, from 2000 to 2006, the proportion of the nation's 65- to 74-year-olds that remained in the labor force increased from nearly one in five to one in four, according to census figures. While looking for a job can be a challenge at any stage in life, it is difficult particularly when you are over aged 50.

“Finding a position that will utilize my talent and experience and allow some flexibility is my goal. While I don’t want a prospective employer to focus on the fact that I am over 50, I do want to be given the autonomy that I have earned at this point in my life,” said Susan during a recent interview. Susan, an executive in the financial services industry wants a full-time job, but needs flexibility in the position she finds, as both of her parents are ill. Just how realistic is her goal?

“There is a concern that employers don’t advertise flexible positions as they often equate “flexible” with “part-time” or “partially engaged”, said Shirley Clark, co-founder of the non-profit Choose 2 Lead. “The fact is that older workers, just like many women with children, want to work full-time. They may just need an element of flexibility or control to effectively tend to their personal lives.”

In fall 2007, Choose 2 Lead Women’s Foundation received a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to assess the information and resources available to older workers to help them find flexible employment.

As part of the study, Choose 2 Lead is conducting a survey of workers over the age of 50 who are currently seeking or have recently sought flexible employment. Wendy Spiegel, founder of Gen Plus, a website catering to the needs of the over-50 set, has posted the survey on her site and responses have been rolling in.You can access the survey by going to www.choose2lead.org and clicking on “Take our Survey Now!” or by visiting the Gen Plus blog at http://genplus.blogspot.com

Choose 2 Lead is a women-owned 501(c)3 corporation that advocates for personal leadership and organizational choices that lead to a more integrated approach to work, life and economic prosperity.

####

For more information:Keywords: Older Workers,FlexibilityContact us: P.O. Box 176 Vienna, VA 22183 703.395.6337

Town Hall and Survey Update

The Town Hall concept is coming along nicely. So far, I've received emails from a few of you to secure your spots. Please pass the word along to any 50 plussers who would benefit from this type of event. Just to give you an idea of how the afternoon session is going to work, I thought it would be a good idea to outline for you the objective and what the general agenda is.

For those of you who haven't read past posts announcing the Gen Plus Town Hall, in a nutshell, I'm taking social activism to a whole new level. I've found a venue that is going to partner with me and has offered to host an afternoon forum for Gen Plussers - in Encino (a suburb of Los Angeles.) It will take place on Tuesday, January 22, 2008 from 2 - 4:30 pm...at no charge. There will be food and drink available (and encouraged) for purchase -- most meals come in at under $10.

There is limited space, so this will work on a first-reserved, first-served basis. The objective of the afternoon is to bring the challenges of job search for 50 plussers out into the open and for you to leave with some tangible action items that you can incorporate into your job search or your start up (or existing) business. There will be a few industry experts (HR, Employer Relations, Marketing) who are planning on joining us. If you need some help with your resume or cover letter, bring a few copies with you and we'll try to make the time to give you some free advice.

We'll be starting off with a short panel discussion. Then you'll be breaking up in groups with specific assignments. Once your assignments are complete, you'll be sharing your findings with all the groups. Our experts will be joining the different groups and available to facilitate and answer questions along the way! Whatever action items or findings come out of this forum will be collated and then sent to each attendee so that you have a written document of our findings.

There will be some items for sale -- all geared to the 50 plus market and available for purchase if you need them, or available online at a later date.

This is a small segment of a one-day program that I would typically charge an arm and a leg for ;), but I truly believe in our ability to mobilize one community at a time and really positively impact how employers are looking at the 50 plus demographic.

I've had requests for Town Halls in Boston, DC, Chicago and Raleigh and I'm holding onto all names for future events. If you are interested, please send me an email at wspiegel@genplususa.com. I'll be relentlessly promoting this free forum because you need to be there, so you might as well email me now and get it off your plate. (I'm a little cheeky today, I know...but this program will really be helpful and I know there are tons of California subscribers just dying to spend an afternoon in Encino, some East Coasters and mid-Westerners who will need an excuse to get away from the cold, and some golfers who will want to stay on and take advantage of the venue the next day...)

On another note, thank you to all of you who are responding to the survey. This will be very helpful for Choose2Lead, a nonprofit, doing research on the 50 plus work demographic. The survey will only be open for a couple of weeks, so please make your voice count. (Just up at the top of the page.)

Finally, I'm still hearing from some of you who don't know how to comment on the blog. If you are a Feedblitz or Feedburner subscriber, you can't comment by replying to the email. You have to click on the title, which will link you to the blog. Once there (here) scroll down to the bottom of the post and you'll see a link called "Comments". Just click on the link, enter your comments in the pop up window, and sign in anonymously or otherwise. That's it.

I always love to hear from you.

Wendy

Blogging Boomers Carnival #41

So Baby Boomer is host for this week's BBC #41. From music to driving challenges to looking FAB...enjoy!

And a special thanks to those of you who are already so proactively filling out the survey. We need your input, so please click on the link at the top of the blog page and make your voice heard.

New Survey on Gen Plus -- What Kind of Work Are YOU Looking For?

Choose 2 Lead Women's Foundation is a non profit organization that is a catalyst for changing the paradigm of the 21st century workplace, bringing together facts, economics, and social needs to support informed choices by women, employers and policymakers.

We are partnering with Choose 2 Lead to gather information on job flexibility preferences in the workplace. We'll be running the survey -- open to both women and men (at the top of the page, or you can click here) and would love to have your input.

Results will be published as soon as we have a large enough demographic base. Thanks for participating.

Gen Plus will also be hosting a "Town Hall" forum, in Los Angeles, on Tuesday, January 22, 2008 from 2 - 4:30 pm. This is a no charge event with limited seating. To reserve your spot, email me. Your confirmation will be sent via email.

A big, big statistic

In a very insightful article yesterday, in the LA Times, writer Jonathan Peterson opens the window a bit wider on the employment picture for Boomers. Back in the mid-1980's the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 18% of those in their late 6o's still had jobs. Fast forward to today and that number is up to 29%. One in four boomers intends to want to work for a few reasons.

1) The biggest issue...money. Pensions are virtually a thing of the past and 401K savings plus social security provide too lean pickings for many.

2) Usefulness -- we're no longer dying at 40, or at 60 and often not even at 80. What to do over half a lifetime with no work? Work.

But many who want to work will not be able to find work. We're seeing that now through Gen Plus. Recruiters are often willing to put a 50 plusser in front of an employer, but the employer still prefers to hire younger, more technologically skilled (or at least perceived to be more skilled) workers. And this is even when they cannot find staff to fill positions. Of course there are those that will not be able to work due to illness or injury, but I'm talking about 50 plussers who want to stay gainfully employed.

Some of the advantages of keeping this demographic employed? Well, Boomers have typically been one of the biggest consumer demographics in the US -- if they have money, they are willing to spend it. If they earn, they contribute -- into taxes, into the economy, into their own retirement funds.

Am I passing along information that is new? To many of you...no. I've been posting on these issues for several years. But there are a couple of important markers. The first, is that the statistic has increased from 18% to 29% -- an increase of 62% over a 20-year time frame. The second is that this is front page news on the LA Times. The times...they are a'changin'. Slowly, but they are changing.

Did you know that May is Better Speech and Hearing Month? Can you repeat that?

Back in 1994 (oh, so long ago) I suffered from an acute bout of viral labrynthisis, basically a virus of the ear canal. I was bedbound for about 2 weeks, dizzy for months, and suffered some permanent hearing loss in my left ear after about a year's recovery. To this day, when the weather gets heavy, I find myself getting dizzy, I have to walk on the left side of someone if I'm going for a long walk, and I often can't tell where sounds are coming from.

So, imagine my excitement (and, I must admit trepidation) when I was contacted by Sherri Weiss on behalf for Phonak, a leading hearing aid manufacturer regarding their activities throughout "Better Speech and Hearing Month". They have a quick test on their Web site to help determine if you have a hearing loss and helps refer folks to hearing professionals in their local areas (http://www.hear-the-world.com/hoeren_und_hoerverlust/hoerverlust_erkennen.htm). I took it and discovered (though not to my surprise) that I should really go get my hearing checked again.

So, in celebration of Better Speech and Hearing Month (May), why not get YOUR hearing tested?

It's no surprise that 50 plussers lead active (and noisy) lifestyles. I certainly remember blasting my eardrums out at the unending stream of concerts and nightclubs in the 70's and 80's.

According to Weiss, it should also be no surprise that Baby Boomers suffer from a significantly higher degree of hearing loss than their parents.

She also passed along the following stats: From 1971 to 1990, hearing problems among those between the ages 45 and 64 jumped 26 percent, according to a National Health Interview Survey. There was also a 17 percent increase in the 18 to 44 age group. In California, where researchers surveyed 5,000 people, the rate of impairment jumped 150 percent between 1965 and 1994 among those in their 50s.

And how does that affect you in your job? Weiss mentions a study from the National Academy on an Aging Society (1999) found that labor force participation rates are lower for people with hearing loss than for others. Some 67% of the working age population with hearing loss is employed, compared to 75 percent of the working age population without such a loss. In addition, close to 13% of workers age 51 to 61 with hearing loss report that hearing loss limits the type or amount of paid work they can do.

Phonak also sponsors a worldwide hearing initiative, Hear the World (http://www.hear-the-world.com/ueber_hear_the_world.htm) to educate the public about the importance of hearing, the social and emotional implications of hearing loss, and the available solutions for those with hearing impairment. Program ambassadors include: Plácido Domingo, The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Bryan Adams and Joss Stone.

Phonak US headquarters are in Warrenville, IL and Phonak will get back to me regarding how they promote 50 plus employment opportunities in their own company.

The most recent HEAR THE WORLD event occured in New York on May 1st, with two mobile audiology units (with audiologists on site to perform hearing tests) stationed in Manhattan.

Survey says...

This is your last chance to get your vote in. I've been running a survey on how long 50 plussers have been looking for work. Very unscientific, but the results are interesting nonetheless and I'm going to release the stats in the next couple of weeks. So if you want your voice to be heard, click on the survey link and let the world know what it really is like for a 50 plusser looking for a job.

I always knew my Liberal Arts degree would come in handy...

Always looking for connections. Always keeping my eyes and ears open to themes in the world of 50 plus!

This one is about the "new lifestyle concept." Well, you heard it here first. Several months ago, Campus Continuum asked us to help them with a survey they were running on "campus" retirement living. My article sent a lot of interested readers over to the survey. And results are in. More on that in a minute.

On a similar theme, a NY Times article by Alan Finder (Feb. 7, 2007) talks about three other campus communities (among quite a few more) that are being planned to bring 50 plussers in close connection with the vibrancy of young life and exploration, the energy and available education that lies in a college or university environment. Most satisfying seem to be trending towards smaller communities surrounding liberal arts colleges. (Think The Bob Newhart Show, with a roaring fire in the stone fireplace while billowing snow gently settles on the windowsills outside.)

A few weeks earlier, I wrote an article on the increasing move toward multi-generational living, reminiscent of family live in the 1950's. And that connected with my interview with AARP and their survey on creating multi-generational livable communities.

All that to say, is that according to Campus Continuum's survey (the one you took part in),on resident living at Juniata College out of 700 Baby Boomers surveyed, 86% of those ‘Very Interested’ in living on a college campus are ages 51 – 70. In multi-generational, friendly, engaging, intellectually stimulating, connected environments.

Other interesting stats?

• 17% (119) of the 700 respondents are “very interested” in residing at Campus Continuum at Juniata College; 37% (259) say they are “mildly interested.”


• The project is equally attractive to alumni and non-alumni of the College.


• Unlike typical retirement communities, which draw primarily from their immediate area, 60% of the “very interested” prospects for Campus Continuum at Juniata College live 100 – 500 miles from the College. 18% live more than 500 miles away.


• 86% of the interested prospects are now 51 – 70 years old.


• Looking at the differences between those who express interest in living at the community versus those who do not, the main factor is whether they value the lifestyle (for example, access to courses and facilities, volunteer opportunities) that affiliation with the College offers.


• The planned community is attractive to a very diverse group in terms of education and income levels.
  

The survey is ongoing. To participate in the online survey if you still want your voice to be counted, www.campuscontinuum.com/juniata (for the Juniata college campus).

Campus Continuum is conducting a similar market assessment for a project at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (Dartmouth, Mass.). To learn more about that community and to participate in that survey please visit www.campuscontinuum.com/umassd.

NYU survey call for help

A New York University graduate Capstone team (Graduate School of Public Service) is asking as many 50 plus related blogs and resources as they can, to spread the word about a survey they are running. They are working with the United Hospital Fund on a project to engage Boomers in hospital volunteerism.

According to Sarah Dannan, one of the graduate students on the team: "the boomer generation is better educated and healthier than previous generations, and is also more culturally, economically, and socially diverse. With the first wave of boomers approaching the threshold of retirement in the next five years, many organizations hope to utilize the skills and experience that boomers possess.

To better understand what would motivate the members of the baby boomer generation to volunteer in a hospital setting we have developed an online survey."

I've taken the survey myself and some of the questions are very good. The survey centers a bit on the NY area, but you have the opportunity to respond no matter what area of the country you live in.

To participate in the survey, head to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=327123133147.

No Surprises Here. Age discrimination most commonly felt between 50 and 55.

AECS, the Association of Executive Search Consultants, just published an article on the results of their survey on executives and age discrimination. Their poll of 294 responders, showed that most executives commonly begin to feel age discrimination 50 and 55.

In the US, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) protects applicants and employees 40 years of age and older from work and hiring related discrimination based on age. Well...that's good to know...

From the comments and emails I receive all the time, it is pretty clear that there are a lot of ways to downsize an older workforce without heading into the area of discrimination, which is very, very challenging to prove. The UK has just recently added a similar law regarding age discrimination and it will be interesting to see what impact this has on retention of the 50 plus workforce overseas.

What's your story?

Source: AESC Marketing

Just as we age, our homes age, too.

Elinor Ginzler is a fountain of information and a delight to chat with. This AARP Livable Communities expert looks at aging challenges with enthusiasm. Her expertise? Ensuring that home living spaces function as livable communities that address needs across the age span. This includes home design, associated costs, mobility, and home modifications. In a recent AARP study, researchers found that over 85% of 50 plussers want to stay in their home whether retired or not. According to Elinor, “Most 50 plussers don’t want to move. The national myth is that you retire, sell your home and move. In fact less than 10% of the 60 plus population move!”

If you are part of the 85-90% that don’t want to move, then you need to recognize that, just as you are aging, your home is getting older, too. Like you, it may need a little fixing up.

To add to our generational challenges, if you are a young 50 plusser, there is a strong possibility that you have a parent in their early seventies to early eighties. A lot of you are nodding your heads. And if you have reached 65, you may have a parent in their eighties and nineties! (You thought your joints were creaking?) So 50 plus is multi-generational in age span alone.

And if you are a 50 plusser with a parent living with you (or visiting frequently), your home can pose unseen hazards that, with a few simple fixes, can become a safe haven for anyone. In Elinor’s view, “Why wouldn’t you want your house to meet the needs of older family members visiting you?” I have to agree. You may even have a young child or two in the house (not that uncommon – I have a seven year old! You may have grandkids) and need to make your living community child safe as well.

Some of Elinor’s top ten tips? When you read them, you’ll surely say, “That’s plain common sense!” Of course it is. But I challenge you to check YOUR house out and see how safe it is. For example, Elinor says:

Use brighter bulbs in all settings.

Well that is easy, simple…yet how many of you are squinting at the fine print in the dark? Or stubbing your toe on the suitcase you didn’t unpack after your last trip.

Install nightlights in all areas of night activity.

You probably had nightlights for your kids. Inexpensive, easy and very important to avoid midnight falls. Remember, the bigger the “kid,” the harder the fall.

To read all 10 safety tips, head to www.aarp.org/homedesign.

And to receive AARP’s new, free publication, Home Modification: Your Key to Comfort, Safety, and Independent Living, call 1-888-OUR-AARP and ask for publication number D18524. However, when I tried to order my copy, the switchboard was jammed up. So Elinor and the media folk at AARP have made it easier for us by sending a link http://www.aarp.org/families/home_design/universaldesign/ that takes you to an online order form. If you install a nice, bright light above your reading chair, it’ll be an easy read.

Keep your sights on this blog for a forthcoming set of tips from AARP’s Elinor Ginzler on transport and driving at 50 plus.

Who's Time Has Come...

A wonderful concept from the folks at Campus Continuum. How would YOU, at 55 plus, like to be surrounded by young, bright, inquiring minds, on or near a vibrant university campus? Well, Campus Continuum, headed by Gerard Badler, thinks that a lot of 55 plussers will jump onto the lifelong learning trend and desire retirement in a university setting. Gerard explains: "We offer residential communities for life-long learners that are tightly integrated with academic host institutions."

Personally, I think it is a great idea. There are many studies that prove that an active mind retards aging and prolongs our ability to process. Continuing to learn forces our brains to make the vital connections required to keep them healthy. So, heck...doesn't it make terrific sense to live in an environment dedicated to just that? Below is part of a recent press release from CC. They are running a survey on their website about lifelong learning and living environments, so please hop on over there and give them your thoughts.


Baby Boomers Could Live on College Campuses -- Online Survey Now Underway …
GROUP PLANS CAMPUS RESIDENCES FOR PEOPLE 55+

(ISSUED AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2006) -- When you near retirement age, maybe you’d like to live on a college campus? Chances are you never even considered the idea!
“In 20 years, there will be 70 million people over age 65 in the U.S. and traditional retirement lifestyles could be radically different,” says Gerard Badler, head of Campus Continuum based in Newton, Mass. Badler is pioneering the concept of university-branded 55+ active adult communities that are “tightly integrated with their academic hosts.” His emphasis is on ‘active’ meaning residents are ‘young old’ who will add to the vitality of campus life.
A relatively new concept, there are only about 50 such communities across the U.S. But the idea is gaining popularity, says Badler who has spent the past few years cross-crossing the country, presenting the novel lifestyle idea to college administrators and boards from Maine to California.

To determine the level of interest and what colleges may be the best candidates, Badler has developed an online survey asking prospective residents to identify campuses on which they’d like to reside and to indicate preferred amenities (www.campuscontinuum.com). Campus Continuum will use the data it collects to promote the development of communities around the country. To take the survey (no obligation; anonymous if you wish) go to the website and click on ‘Consumer Survey.’

Badler notes several advantages for seniors to live on or near a college campus:
· Exposure to classes, campus life: Research says mental activity may delay dementia
· Opportunity to take courses – close to home at reduced cost
· Brings back fond memories of carefree college days
· Opportunity to serve as teachers or mentors for students
· Access to cultural and sporting events, and often athletic, dining and healthcare facilities
· ‘Intergenerational excitement’ lacking in traditional retirement communities (all seniors)
· An easy ‘commute’ to wide range of campus events, as well as volunteer and paying jobs

Badler’s Campus Continuum is close to signing its first deal. “We’ll be breaking new ground in more ways than one,” he says.

Where y'at?

In an attempt to do something good for my mind AND my body, I take a pilates/yoga class. The pilates strengthens the core and is fantastic for your body. The yoga gets out all the kinks and is wonderful for opening and centering your mind. Great combo.

Yesterday, in our class, just as we went into the final 5 minute relaxation (yes, you get to close your eyes and drift off for a little snooze after sweating like a pig for an hour), one of the cleaners forgot that we had a class going on. He was trying to find one of his coworkers. "Dave," he shouted, "Where y'at?" Really loud. Again and again and again. It was pretty funny. Kind of shook us out of our relaxation, but funny all the same. "Where y'at? WHERE Y'AT? HUH?"

We all want to feel connected whether in a big old building in the darkening evening or through the online communities that we are building across the world. I LOVE that so many people visit the blog from all over the world. Japan and China. Germany and Italy. South America, India, Canada. Of course, all over the US (often from towns I've never heard of.) So I'm asking you two questions today. Where were you born? And right now...Where y'at? To comment, click on the comment link below.

And ...if you've never commented on a blog before, give it a shot. It's fun. If you prefer email, e me at wspiegel@genplususa.com and I'll post your response for you.

Call for Participants

Kathy Caprino in Westport, Connecticut, has asked us to spread the word. If you are a 35 - 55 year old woman, in a professional transition and want to speak out, read on. Please contact Kathy directly with any questions on this study. Her coordinates are at the bottom of this post.

Announcing a New National In-Depth Research Study:

Women Amidst and After Professional Crisis:
Finding New Meaning in Life and Work

In association with The Esteemed Woman Foundation

Are you a 35 to 55 year-old woman currently in a professional transition? Or have you navigated through professional crisis or transition in successful ways? Do you know of any women who are/have? If so, I'd love to hear from you!
Kathy Caprino, M.A., marriage and family therapist, personal and professional coach, and co-founder of Living in Harmony—The Center for Emotional Health, in association with The Esteemed Woman Foundation, is conducting a national in-depth research study with professional women age 35 to 55 who are currently experiencing, or have successfully transitioned beyond, a professional crisis or major turning point in their careers.

This study looks at women who have spent at least 10 years developing their mid- to high-level careers that by all standards would be considered “successful;” yet they’ve awakened to a crisis of meaning regarding their work and its role in their lives. Mid-life women who are re-assessing their careers in relation to issues around: the contribution they are making, meaningfulness, satisfaction, fulfillment, balancing personal and professional lives, and integrating newly-emerging longings, priorities, values, and needs, are all invited to participate.

The study’s target audience will resonate with the statement:
“I am a professional woman who wishes to work, but how I am working, and what I am working on is no longer working for me.”

The goal of this study is to collect and disseminate data on a wide range of psychological, cultural, and social constructs that will expand our current understanding of what contributes to these types of crises, how these crises differ in various cultures, and new alternatives, options, and approaches to navigate through them successfully.

If you believe you fit the above criteria and are interested in participating in this study (anonymously if you wish), or for more information, please contact Kathy Caprino at 203-226-6210, ext 3 or email her at caprinocoaching@yahoo.com.

For more information, please contact:Kathy Caprino, M.A.
Living in Harmony – The Center for Emotional Health
164 Kings Highway North
Westport, CT 06880
(203) 226-6210, ext. 3
Email: caprinocoaching@yahoo.com
Websites:
http://www.kathycaprino.com/
http://www.livinginharmonycenter.com/

Your vote counts!

You'll notice a nifty new tool at the right of the screen. It is an online voting booth! Thank you to those of you who responded to my question in yesterday's post. You've got me on fire! Since your interest is apparent, I've temporarily added a voting station here on Gen Plus. Click on the link and tell it like it is. And if you have something extra to say, please feel free to email me. I write back to everyone and I really do love hearing from you...it always re-ignites my commitment to 50 plus. If you have other questions you'd like to see stats on, let me know and if they are relevant to our visitors, I'd be happy to add it to the voting booth!

How long is too long?

The older you are, the longer it can take to get a job. In 2004, AARP reported that it took workers 55 and older 25.8 weeks to find a job, compared to 18.9 weeks for younger worker. By 2012 almost 20% of the U.S. workforce will be 55 or over. It is two years later. If you are over 50, how long did it take you to find your current job, or how long have you been searching for a new job? If you are under 50, I'd like to hear from you, too. Either post a comment or feel free to email me. If I get enough information from you to report a statistic or change of trend, I will.

Putting it Off Until Tomorrow: Ernst & Young LLP Aging Workforce Survey

Well, we've been raising the flag for quite a while. And now, corroboration from one of the big 4. Read on...

Putting it Off Until Tomorrow: Ernst & Young LLP Aging Workforce Survey Shows Corporate America Forsees a Looming Wisdom Withdrawal but Delays Addressing the Issue

The survey, The Aging of the U.S. Workforce: Employer Challenges and Responses, indicates that a little more than half of the respondents agreed that the aging workforce is an issue that must be addressed. While almost two-thirds said that retirements will lead to a “brain drain" in their organization, less than one-quarter said that it is an issue that is strategically very important.

“Approximately every seven seconds in America this year, a boomer turns 60,” said William Arnone, an Employee Financial Services practice leader in the Human Capital Practice of Ernst & Young LLP. “Seventy percent of the survey respondents have not yet attempted to identify where business wisdom resides in their organization. This means one thing: corporate America is facing a significant wisdom withdrawal.”

While the survey illustrated that employers are putting off tackling the issue of an aging workforce, an overwhelming 90 percent said they are committed to putting formal retention programs in place in the future. Of the 30 percent who have identified where business wisdom resides, only 67 percent have formal processes in place to transmit that business wisdom to the next generation.

“Right now, HR professionals are focusing on other things they consider to be more pressing, such as governance and compliance issues,” said Arnone. “As the looming ‘wisdom withdrawal’ becomes a more immediate concern, they will focus their resources on the issue at that time.”

Aging Workforce by the Numbers:

Of survey respondents who believe that the aging workforce is an issue that must be dealt with, 53 percent said it will lead to a workforce shortage.

Sixty-three percent said that retirements will lead to a “brain drain."

While almost 15 percent of respondents’ employees are eligible to retire in the next 5 years, they estimate that just over 10 percent of their current workers are likely to do so.

Approximately 40 percent noted that their top human capital concern is the availability of talent over the next five years. Other highly ranked areas of concern include retention of key employees and talent management (i.e., ensuring that the right employees are in the right positions).

Over 85 percent had no formal retention programs in place. Of those who did, hiring retirees as consultants or contractors, retention bonuses, promoting a culture of generational diversity and pre-retirement planning programs proved to be the most popular. Survey findings are based on responses from a sampling of senior human resources executives from a cross section of some of the largest employers in the U.S. in a variety of industry sectors. The survey was conducted electronically from November 11, 2005, to December 21, 2005.

The survey was conducted by Ernst & Young LLP, ExecuNet Inc., and the Human Capital Institute.