TRANSITION-READY OR NOT - THE AGING OF AMERICA WORK-FORCE

One of the most amazing phenomenons in human resource management in th e last decade is the aging of America's labor force. The maturing of b aby boomers, increasing longevity, and a declining birth rate have con tributed to a shortage of younger workers and an increase in the numbe r of Americans in the older age brackets. With the aging of the work f orce, organizations are going to have to accommodate the transitions n eeded. These aging baby boomers heralded in the age of child-care issu es. Now, with the nation's elderly being the fastest growing segment o f the population, elder-care issues are also of major concern for the aging baby boomers and for American management. Corporate America need s to utilize its unbelievable resource of available talent-the reliabl e, trained, and educated older work force. We must try to examine the question of how to maximize the positives of the situation and modify or reduce any negatives.