In response to today’s tight labor market, we’re hearing more about retirees being lured back into the workforce. How can employers take advantage of this experienced workforce to help fulfill their staffing needs?
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Opportunities in Automotive
As with many other industries, the large-scale retirement of Baby Boomers is leaving a gap in the automotive workforce that could threaten production output goals.
For employers that need a flexible, short-term solution, retirees can be viewed as a ready-made talent pool of people who aren’t looking for long-term employment.
Automotive employers find that returning employees can have a positive impact on the business immediately. They don’t need 2 or 3 months to get up to speed—they contribute from day 1, which is optimal in a project-based environment.
Employers embrace the value of retirees, especially for projects lasting shorter periods of time. Some retirees just aren’t ready to hang up their work boots; they appreciate the opportunity to retain ties to the industry and feel as if they still have something important to contribute. It keeps them up to speed on new technology and enables them to earn a solid income, as well.
Bridging a Knowledge Gap
The utilities industry has similar challenges with filling open positions, and the stakes are high, according to Aerotek Director Troy Sayler.
“The power grid is the lifeblood of the country,” Sayler notes. “When there is an outage, whether due to equipment failure or a natural disaster, utilities need to ensure they can troubleshoot the issue and put a solution in place immediately. Hospitals, companies, residents … everyone is counting on them to ensure continuous power.”
Failure to maintain power also creates cascading effects for utilities, such as lost time and damage to equipment. Because of this, they need tenured professionals to mitigate the risks.
“These employees offer tremendous value to employers. They have vast experience—often decades’ worth—in specific, complex transmission and distribution engineering needs,” Sayler says. “This experience and often unique skills are crucial to ensuring continuity in the power supply.”
Retired employees who choose to return to work often use a staffing company, like Aerotek, which collaborates with them to navigate the logistics of hiring and scheduling so they can enjoy work/life balance during those postretirement years.
A retired employee may return to the same company he or she previously worked, which provides an extra benefit to the company. “They’re familiar with the systems, technology and equipment,” Sayler explains. “They require little or no training, and can address issues in real time, which is crucial to trouble-shooting problems that can impact service,” he says. “They’re familiar with the geographical area as well as the policies and procedures of the company.”
There’s a need to connect companies that require skilled talent with workers who still have a lot to offer. In addition to supplementing your workforce, retirees offer a career’s worth of knowledge and can pass along invaluable tips and best practices to a new generation.
Leveraging the abilities, experience, and flexibility of retired workers has helped the utilities and automotive industries overcome the challenges of a tight labor market. Are there ways retirees can bring value to your business?
 Casey Sivier is Strategic Account Executive for the automotive business at Aerotek. He is responsible for developing client partnerships and generating customized workforce solutions and resources for Aerotek’s largest Automotive clients. Casey joined Aerotek in 1999 as a recruiter and soon moved into an account management role supporting automotive clients in Detroit, MI. In 2012, he joined the strategic sales and operations team as a strategic account executive for the automotive industry.
Throughout his tenure at Aerotek, Casey has been recognized with multiple awards for outstanding performance and commitment. He has a passion for automotive technology, the ever-evolving automotive industry, and its promising future. Casey is a graduate of Albion College, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Physiology. |