BreakThrough Employers

TAPPING ENCORE TALENT: Employers try it -- and like it

Terry Nagel — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:38:32 -0500

Experienced boomers want meaningful work. Nonprofit organizations need talented employees. A new survey of hundreds of employers shows that supply and demand may finally be coming together.

The Tapping Encore Talent survey by the MetLife Foundation and Civic Ventures found that half of nonprofit employers see encore employees as “highly appealing,” citing their experience, commitment and reliability. And those who have recently hired late-career workers are even more positive.

BreakThrough Employers

Corporations Help Execs Transition to Nonprofit Sector

Terry Nagel — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:14:56 -0500

Rusine Mitchell Sinclair left a 25-year career at IBM last year “to bring my experiences as an IBM executive to thousands of girls across North Carolina.”

Now, IBM is helping other executives and managers follow Sinclair to the nonprofit sector. The Financial Times calls IBM’s program a “Retirement Plan with a Difference.”

BreakThrough Employers

Social Networking Venues

Monica_Surfaro_Spigelman — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:51:57 -0500

Am trying to get a fix on what social networking platforms our Encore community uses (beyond Encore). Also wondering how locally you as Encore members try to engage other seniors (who may not be Internet-savvy but who have much to offer the social network world with their knowledge) in the movement online. Finally, I see so much activity in the Phoenix area for our group — who if anyone is out there from Tucson? I am adding my twitter and LinkedIn info, so I can connect with those of you in these other online worlds.

Many thanks-
Monica Surfaro Spigelman

Encore Nation

ENCORE OPPORTUNITIES: AARP identifies age friendly employers

Terry Nagel — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:44:59 -0500

Finding employers that value older workers can be a challenge. But today AARP introduced a job search engine powered by RetirementJobs.com that lists openings posted by “age friendly certified employers.”

The portal at www.aarp.org/jobs locates part-time, full-time and flex-time positions by keyword and location. Searches can be targeted within a radius of up to 50 miles. To be certified as age friendly, employers must maintain policies, practices and programs consistent with employing people age 50 and older based solely on their proficiency, qualifications and contribution.

BreakThrough Employers

BLOCK THAT RETIREE: Action needed to keep good employees

Terry Nagel — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:22:17 -0500

Two new surveys show that private employers are being very subtle about their plans offer incentives to retain older employees – much to the disappointment of retirees who would have liked to know about them.

The lesson to be learned, said Allen Steinberg, a principal and senior design consultant at Hewitt Associates, is that “you’re going to lose good people if they don’t know about the availability of a program” designed to interest them in working longer.

That’s good advice for nonprofit organizations, too, which are scrambling to figure out ways to retain experienced workers before an anticipated wave of boomer retirements.

BreakThrough Employers

PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Boomers ready to ‘rearrange furniture’ for encore careers

Terry Nagel — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:44:30 -0500

Boomers are rejecting the retirement vision of endless days of leisure and are embracing encore careers, writes Chris Satullo in his column in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer.

“As this huge cohort has done every time it entered a new phase of life, the boomers are going to rearrange the furniture,” he says.

Satullo argues that this sea change will occur because, “They’re going to want to. They’re going to have to. And America is going to need them to.”

BreakThrough Employers

ENCORE PATHWAY: IBM helps employees navigate global economy

Terry Nagel — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:33:06 -0500

IBM is breaking the mold again. While a number of multinational companies like Procter & Gamble and General Electric are sending employees overseas, IBM is offering staffers a chance to work with colleagues from around the world on projects that emphasize team leadership development.

IBM’s new Corporate Service Corps program helps participants learn how to work in the global marketplace with people from very diverse backgrounds – skills that are particularly important for individuals whose encore careers may take them outside of the United States.

BreakThrough Employers

ENCORE PATHWAY: IBM shows employees the way to nonprofit careers

Terry Nagel — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:11:02 -0500

IBM plans to make it easier for its experienced employees to transition to second careers in nonprofits through a partnership with Bridgespan.

The two organizations announced today that they will build a program and online platform that helps IBM employees and retirees assess their readiness for nonprofit positions, identify potential opportunities and skills required, apply for jobs with nonprofits and receive mentoring. Once it’s perfected, the pilot project will be made available to other nonprofits and corporations that wish to start similar endeavors.

BreakThrough Employers

ENCORE INVESTIGATORS: Retired police officers help caseworkers protect children

David Bank — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:12:56 -0500

New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services has hired 60 retired police officers as “investigative consultants” to help caseworkers find parents, conduct interviews and protect themselves in volatile domestic situations.

The New York Times reported that the sparkplug for the program is Susan Morley, former commander of the NYPD’s Special Victims Division, who came out of retirement after the 2006 case of Nixzmary Brown, the 7-year-old girl who was beaten to death by her stepfather after caseworkers missed warning signs.

“Nixzmary’s photo in the paper haunted me,” Morley told reporter Lisa Foderaro. “There was work to be done. I couldn’t resist.”

BreakThrough Employers

SURVEY: Seeking feedback from nonprofit employers

Terry Nagel — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:01:12 -0500

If you are a nonprofit employer who has hired — or tried to hire — workers age 50 or older, the Conference Board, a business research and membership group, wants you to take a survey no later than August 1.

The goal is to better understand how nonprofit employers can reach out to experienced workers.