shrm survey findings: shrm-aarp strategic workforce planning

April 9, 2012

SHRM Survey Findings: SHRM-AARP Strategic Workforce Planning

SHRM-AARP Strategic Workforce Planning ©SHRM 2012 2

Definitions

Strategic workforce planning assessment: Evaluating an organization’s current and future critical talent needs using workforce modeling and scenario planning to identify potential skills gaps and talent shortages.

Older workers: Employees at an organization that are age 50 or older.

Younger workers: Employees at an organization that are age 31 and younger.


Key Findings

Have organizations conducted strategic workforce planning assessments to evaluate their current and future critical talent needs? Two-fifths of organizations (40%) have conducted strategic workforce planning assessments to identify their future workforce needs for the next 5 years. About one-third of organizations have identified their potential skills gaps for the next 5 years (36%). Twenty-nine percent of organizations have analyzed the impact of workers age 50 and over leaving their organizations.

Are organizations preparing for a potential shortage of talent when older workers begin to retire in greater numbers and leave the workforce? Although many organizations are at the initial stages of the preparation process, there has been a slight increase in awareness of a potential shortage of younger workers with the requisite skills needed to replace older workers who are retiring. More than one-quarter (27%) of organizations indicated they are becoming aware of the issue, an increase of nine percentage points from 2010 (18%). Thirty-nine percent of organizations are beginning to examine internal policies and management practices to address this issue (e.g., succession planning, phased retirement, etc.), showing no difference from 2010. Additionally, roughly one-fifth of organizations (18%) indicated that no changes were necessary after their evaluation, a decrease of 12 percentage points from 2010 (30%).

How much of an issue are the potential losses of talent for organizations and industries as older workers retire or leave their organizations over the next decade? Approximately one-half (46%) of organizations believe that potential loss of talent over the next decade is a potential problem for their organization while 27% indicated that it is not a concern. As older workers exit the workforce over the next decade, 39% of organizations believe that this will cause potential problems for their industry; however, approximately one-quarter (24%) do not foresee problems for their industry.


Key Findings

What are the perceived skills gaps between younger and older workers? Approximately one-half of organizations (51%) indicated that writing in English (grammar, spelling, etc.) was the top basic skills gap observed between younger and older workers. Fifty-two percent of organizations reported professionalism/work ethic as the top applied skills gap between younger and older workers.

Which steps are organizations taking to retain and recruit older workers in order to prepare for the

potential skill gaps that may occur as younger workers enter and older workers exit the workforce? Nearly one-half of organizations (45%) have increased training and cross-training efforts. Roughly one-third (38%) of organizations have also developed succession plans and/or hired retired employees as consultants or temporary workers (30%). Organizations are also offering flexible work arrangements (27%) and offering part-time positions to older workers (24%).


Has your organization conducted a strategic workforce planning assessment to…?

Analyze the impact of workers age 50+ leaving your organi-

zation?

Identify potential skills gaps over the next 5 years?

Identify future workforce needs over the next 5 years?

29%

36%

40%

Note: n = 421-423. Percentages shown indicate only the respondents who answered “Yes” to this question.



Comparisons by Organization Sector

Publicly owned for-profit (50%) > Privately owned for-profit (30%)

Comparisons by organization sector

Publicly owned for-profit organizations are more likely than privately owned for-profit organizations to have conducted a strategic workforce planning assessment to identify potential skills gaps over the next 5 years.

Comparisons by organization staff sizeOrganizations with 25,000 or more employees are more likely than organizations with 1 to 2,499 employees to have conducted a strategic workforce planning assessment to identify future workforce needs over the next 5 years.

Comparisons by Organization Staff Size

25,000 or more employees (66%) >1 to 99 employees (25%)

100 to 499 employees (36%)500 to 2,499 employees (36%)

Note: Only statistically significant differences are shown.



Comparisons by organization staff size (continued)

Organizations with 2,500 or more employees are more likely than organizations with 1 to 499 employees to have conducted a strategic workforce planning assessment to analyze the impact of older workers leaving the organization.


2,500 to 24,999 employees (47%)25,000 or more employees (49%)

>1 to 99 employees (22%)

100 to 499 employees (22%)

Organizations with 25,000 or more employees are more likely than organizations with 1 to 2,499 employees to have conducted a strategic workforce planning assessment to identify potential skills gaps over the next 5 years .






There may be a shortage of younger workers with the skills and qualifications necessary to replace the older workers who are preparing to retire. Which of the following best describes your organization’s preparation for this change?

Have agreed internally on a plan to change policies and management practices

Have implemented specific policies and management practices

Have proposed specific policy and management practice changes

Have examined our workforce and determined that no changes in our policies and practices are necessary

Just becoming aware of the issue

Beginning to examine internal policies and management practices

4%

5%

4%

30%

18%

39%

4%

5%

7%

18%

27%

39%

2012 (n = 326)2010 (n = 337)

Note: Respondents who answered “Don’t know” were excluded from this analysis.


Overall, how would you describe your organization’s and industry’s potential loss of talent as a result of the possibility of the older workers retiring, or leaving the organization for other reasons, over the next decade?

Note: Respondents who answered “Don’t know” were excluded from this analysis.

It is a crisis It is a problem It is a potential problem

It is not a problem

Organization (2012; n = 407) 1% 26% 46% 27%

Organization(2010; n = 369) 2% 20% 45% 33%

It is a crisis It is a problem It is a potential problem

It is not a problem

Industry (2012; n = 374) 7% 30% 39% 24%

Industry (2010; n = 317) 3% 29% 47% 21%


In your opinion, what are the greatest basic skills gaps between younger workers and older workers?

Note: n = 421. Respondents who answered “Don’t know” were excluded from this analysis. Respondents were asked to select their top two choices. Percentages do not equal 100% due to multiple response options. “Basic skills” refer to knowledge and basic skills in the areas above.

Percentage

Writing in English (grammar, spelling, etc.) 51%

Technical (computer, engineering, mechanical, etc.) 33%

Mathematics (computation) 16%

Reading comprehension (in English) 13%

English language (spoken) 12%

Government/economics 10%

History/geography 6%

Science 5%

Foreign languages 3%

Humanities/arts 1%

Other 9%


In your opinion, what are the greatest basic skills gaps between younger workers and older workers?


Government agencies (23%) >Privately owned for-profit (8%)Publicly owned for-profit (5%)

Comparisons by organization sectorGovernment agencies are more likely than privately owned and publicly owned for-profit organizations to believe that government/economics is the greatest basic skills gap between younger and older workers.



In your opinion, what are the greatest applied skills gaps between younger workers and older workers?

Note: n = 421. Respondents who answered “Don’t know” were excluded from this analysis. Respondents were asked to select their top two choices. Percentages do not equal 100% due to multiple response options.

Percentage

Professionalism/work ethic 52%

Critical thinking/problem solving 27%

Written communications 16%

Lifelong learning/self-direction 16%

Leadership 15%

Oral communications 12%

Ethics/social responsibility 12%

Information technology application 11%

Teamwork/collaboration 10%

Creativity/innovation 4%

Diversity 2%

Other 2%


Has your organization taken any of the steps below to prepare for potential skill gaps and/or retain and recruit older workers?

n = 415

Yes No

Increased training and cross-training efforts 45% 55%

Developed succession plans 38% 62%

Hired retired employees as consultants or temporary workers 30% 70%

Offered flexible work arrangements (e.g., job sharing, telework, etc.) 27% 73%

Offered part-time positions to older workers 24% 76%

Offered retirement planning programs 23% 77%

Developed processes to capture institutional memory/organizational knowledge from employees close to retirement 17% 83%

Increased recruiting efforts to replace retiring employees 17% 83%

Offered financial planning programs 16% 84%

Offered wellness programs that are attractive to older workers 14% 86%

Provided training to upgrade skills of older workers 13% 87%

Encouraged older workers to work past traditional retirement age 12% 88%


Has your organization taken any of the steps below to prepare for potential skill gaps and/or retain and recruit older workers? (continued)

n = 415

Yes No

Tailored benefits offerings to encourage older workers to stay with organization 11% 89%

Increased automated processes (e.g., use of robotics) 9% 91%

Created new roles within your organization, specifically designed to bridge a skills or knowledge gap 9% 91%

Provided opportunities for older workers to transfer to jobs with reduced pay and responsibilities 8% 92%

Asked older workers for feedback via survey or other mechanism about what would encourage them to stay with the organization 4% 96%

Established alternative career tracks for older workers 3% 97%

Other 5% 95%



Comparison by Organization Sector

Publicly owned for-profit (56%) >Privately owned for-profit (37%)

Nonprofit (31%)Government (26%)

Comparisons by organization sectorPublicly owned for-profit organizations are more likely than privately owned for-profit, nonprofit and government organizations to have developed succession plans in preparation for potential skills gaps that may occur as younger workers enter and older workers exit the workforce.

Government agencies are more likely than publicly owned for-profit organizations to have encouraged older workers to work past traditional retirement age in preparation for potential skills gaps that may occur as younger workers enter and older workers exit the workforce. .


Government (32%) > Publicly owned for-profit (9%)

Government agencies are more likely than publicly owned for-profit organizations to have developed processes to capture institutional memory/organizational knowledge from employees close to retirement to retain and recruit older workers in preparation for potential skills gaps that may occur as younger workers enter and older workers exit the workforce.


Government (26%) > Publicly owned for-profit (7%)





Government (51%) >Publicly owned for-profit (24%)Privately owned for-profit (22%)

Comparisons by organization sector (continued)Government agencies are more likely than publicly owned for-profit or privately owned for-profit organizations to have hired retired employees as consultants or temporary workers in preparation for potential skills gaps that may occur as younger workers enter and older workers exit the workforce. .




Comparisons by organization staff sizeOrganizations with 25,000 or more employees are more likely than organizations with 1 to 2,499 employees to identify future workforce needs over the next 5 years in preparation for potential skills gaps that may occur as younger workers enter and older workers exit the workforce.




Organizations with 2,500 or more employees are more likely than organizations with 1 to 499 employees to have developed succession plans in preparation for potential skills gaps that may occur as younger workers enter and older workers exit the workforce.


2,500 to 24,999 employees (58%)25,000 or more employees (66%)

>1 to 99 employees (27%)





Comparisons by organization size (continued)

Organizations with 25,000 or more employees are more likely than organizations with 1 to 499 employees to have increased recruiting efforts to replace retiring employees in preparation for potential skills gaps that may occur as younger workers enter and older workers exit the workforce.

Comparisons by Organization Size



Organizations with 500 to 24,999 employees are more likely than organizations with 1 to 99 employees to have hired retired employees as consultants or temporary workers in preparation for potential skills gaps that may occur as younger workers enter and older workers exit the workforce.


500 to 2,499 employees (38%)2,500 to 24,999 employees (42%)

> 1 to 99 employees (16%)

Organizations with 500 to 2,499 employees are more likely than organizations with 1 to 99 employees to have offered financial planning programs in preparation for potential skills gaps that may occur as younger workers enter and older workers exit the workforce.


500 to 2,499 employees (23%) > 1 to 99 employees (7%)



How effective has the step(s) your organization has taken been in preparing for potential skill gaps and/or retaining and recruiting older workers?

Note: Response options were only rated by respondents who indicated that their organization had taken the specified step to prepare for potential skill gaps and/or retain and recruit older workers. Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding.

Too soon to

evaluate

Not at all effective

Somewhat effective

Very effective

Developed succession plans (n = 157) 27% 3% 52% 17%

Created new roles within your organization, specifically designed to bridge a skills or knowledge gap (n = 35) 26% 6% 37% 31%

Increased training and cross-training efforts (n = 179) 24% 1% 50% 26%

Developed processes to capture institutional memory/organizational knowledge from employees close to retirement (n = 68)

22% 1% 56% 21%

Offered wellness programs that are attractive to older workers (n = 58) 17% 5% 53% 24%

Offered financial planning programs (n = 66) 17% 3% 52% 29%

Increased recruiting efforts to replace retiring employees (n = 71) 15% 4% 62% 18%

Offered part-time positions to older workers (n = 99) 15% 3% 38% 43%


How effective has the step(s) your organization has taken been in preparing for potential skill gaps and/or retaining and recruiting older workers? (continued)

Note: Response options were only rated by respondents who indicated that their organization had taken the specified step to prepare for potential skill gaps and/or retain and recruit older workers. Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding.

Too soon to

evaluate

Not at all effective

Somewhat effective

Very effective

Offered flexible work arrangements (e.g., job sharing, telework, etc.) (n = 111) 14% 2% 50% 35%

Tailored benefits offerings to encourage older workers to stay with organization (n = 44) 11% 7% 55% 27%

Increased automated processes (e.g., use of robotics) (n = 35) 11% 0% 63% 26%

Provided training to upgrade skills of older workers(n = 53) 11% 2% 64% 23%

Offered retirement planning programs (n = 95) 11% 7% 51% 32%

Provided opportunities for older workers to transfer to jobs with reduced pay and responsibilities (n = 32) 9% 9% 59% 22%

Encouraged older workers to work past traditional retirement age (n = 50) 8% 6% 52% 34%

Hired retired employees as consultants or temporary workers (n = 123) 4% 4% 49% 43%


To the best of your knowledge, what percent of employees, full-time and part-time, at your work location are age 50 or older?

60% or more

40 % to 59%

20% to 39%

1% to 19%

None

3%

17%

47%

32%

1%

4%

24%

44%

27%

1%

2012 (n = 404)2010 (n = 363)


To the best of your knowledge, what percent of employees, full-time and part-time, at your work location are age 50 or older?


Privately owned for-profit (33%) > Government (9%)

Comparisons by organization sector

Privately owned for-profit organizations are more likely than government agencies to have 1% to 19% of their staff age 50 or older.


Government (40%) > Privately owned for-profit (19%)

Government agencies are more likely than privately owned for-profit organizations to have 40% to 59% of their staff age 50 or older.

Comparisons by organization staff size

Organizations with 100 to 499 employees are more likely than organizations with 2,500 to 24,999 employees to have 1% to 19% of their staff age 50 or older.


100 to 499 employees (34%) > 2,500 to 24,999 employees (12%)


SHRM-AARP Strategic Workforce Planning ©SHRM 2012

Demographics: Organization Industry

23

Percentage

Manufacturing 19%Health care and social assistance 18%Professional, scientific and technical services 18%Public administration 12%Finance and insurance 10%Education services 8%Transportation and warehousing 8%Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 6%Information, publishing industries 5%Utilities 5%Accommodation and food services 4%Construction 4%

Note: n = 399. Percentages may not equal 100% due to multiple response options.


Demographics: Organization Industry (continued)

24

Note: n = 399. Percentages may not equal 100% due to multiple response options.

Percentage

Religious, grant-making, civic, professional and similar organizations 4%Retail trade 4%Repair and maintenance 3%Wholesale trade 3%Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 2%Arts, entertainment and recreation 2%Mining 2%Real estate and rental and leasing 2%Personal and laundry services 1%Other 9%


Demographics: Organization Sector

Other

Government sector

Nonprofit organization

Publicly owned for-profit organization

Privately owned for-profit organization

4%

12%

20%

19%

46%

25

Note: n = 398. Percentages do not equal 100% due to rounding.


Demographics: Organization Staff Size

25,000 or more employees

2,500 to 24,999 employees

500 to 2,499 employees

100 to 499 employees

1 to 99 employees

9%

15%

24%

33%

19%

26

n = 390


Demographics: Other

27

Does your organization have U.S.-based operations (business units) only or does it operate multinationally?

U.S.-based operations only 70%

Multinational operations 30%

n = 407

Is your organization a single-unit organization or a multi-unit organization?

Single-unit organization: An organization in which the location and the organization are one and the same

32%

Multi-unit organization: An organization that has more than one location 68%

n = 404

For multi-unit organizations, are HR policies and practices determined by the multi-unit headquarters, by each work location or both?

Multi-unit headquarters determines HR policies and practices 50%

Each work location determines HR policies and practices 3%

A combination of both the work location and the multi-unit headquarters determine HR policies and practices

48%

Note: n = 282. Percentages do not equal 100% due to rounding.

Which HR department/function was responded about throughout this survey?

Corporate (companywide) 69%

Business unit/division 17%

Facility/location 14%

n = 282


Response rate = 15%

Sample composed of 430 randomly selected HR professionals from SHRM’s membership

Margin of error +/- 5%

Survey fielded February 13, 2012 – March 12, 2012

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Methodology

For more survey findings, visit www.shrm.org/surveys

Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/SHRM_Research

SHRM-AARP Strategic Workforce Planning

Project leader: Christina Lee, SHRM ResearchProject contributors: Jean Setzfand, vice president, Financial Security, AARPEd Redfern, Jr., senior Issue specialist, Financial Security, AARPMark Schmit, Ph.D., SPHR, vice president, SHRM ResearchFred Emmert, Senior Speechwriter & Speakers Bureau Manager, SHRMEvren Esen, manager, SHRM Survey Research Center

http://www.shrm.org/surveys

http://twitter.com/SHRM_Research

shrm survey findings: shrm-aarp strategic workforce planning

Documents

older workers

percent of organizations

onehalf of organizations

fifths of organizations

future workforce

potential skills gaps

workforce modeling

potential shortage of