Build the Workforce of the Future

Sep 12, 2019

If you’ve ever spent an afternoon, weekend, or entire winter break holed up in a cabin putting together a puzzle, you know the joy of holding the last piece in your hand as you get ready to snap it into place and see the complete picture. Or, maybe you’ve experienced the letdown of being one piece away from finishing the puzzle, only to find that the missing piece isn’t anywhere to be found.

Sadly, the missing puzzle piece doesn’t typically turn up – but you know it’s out there, somewhere. What happened to it? Is it truly lost? Or is it just waiting for you to discover it in a dusty corner behind the couch?

Business today is much like the unfinished puzzle. Missing pieces abound in every sector as a swell of qualified older workers change direction and exit the workforce or are forced out of employment by companies yielding to misguided beliefs that older workers can’t take businesses in a new direction, adapt to new technology or work energetically alongside younger generations.

The danger, of course, is that when the missing pieces add up, the puzzle becomes fragmented. In the office environment, important legacy knowledge walks out the door.  Processes that were once quickly handled now become difficult and time consuming. Sometimes, nobody is left who knows how to do the work. Efficiency and customer service suffers. 

When we are missing part of the picture, we fail to achieve a well-balanced, well-oiled working environment. Older workers are essential to the success of modern businesses. These workers do more than complete the picture; their experience and knowledge propels companies in new directions.

Baby Boomers often face job loss but aren’t ready to retire. Like the missing puzzle piece, they are waiting to be rediscovered and put to use. Whether they work full or part-time, many want to continue their careers, build financial stability and make a difference.

So, instead of letting these valuable employees walk out the door, why not put them back to work? Redeploy these experienced workers in ways that take advantage of their vast knowledge and business acumen.

At WAHVE, we built our business on the belief that we can change the hiring — and retiring — conversation. We know that keeping skilled professionals in the workforce is a dynamic way to keep businesses running smoothly while meeting the work-life balance needs of those who are easing into retirement.

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