Telework Exchange

A recently-released U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, "Older Workers: Enhanced Communication among Federal Agencies Could Improve Strategies for Hiring and Retaining Experienced Workers," outlines the challenges facing agency officials in the coming years when a wave of long-time Federal employees become eligible to retire.

According to GAO, agencies currently are facing the prospect of losing one-third of their most experienced and knowledgeable employees in less than three years. A bit of analysis by GAO, however, shows that the situation is even more alarming. "Many of these workers are in executive and supervisory positions, as well as occupations considered critical to agencies' missions, including air traffic controllers and administrative law judges," the report noted. "By 2012, nearly two-thirds of career executives and almost half of other supervisors across the Federal government will be eligible to retire."

The good news, however, is that just because employees are eligible to retire does not mean that they will. Historically, Federal workers stay well past their initial retirement dates, and GAO predicts that trend will continue or even increase, especially given the impact of the current economy on retirement savings plans and the Baby Boomer generation's overall good health and dedication to public service.

Still, agencies need to begin formulating strategies to retain as many older workers as possible, according to GAO. The report recommended several steps be taken, including the following:

• The Director of the Office of Personnel Management should develop a mechanism that enables Federal agencies to share agency-developed practices that show real promise and results in recruiting and retaining older, experienced workers that meet their workforce needs
• Agencies should provide more opportunities for telework, schedule compression, flextime, and other alternative work arrangements to provide the work/life balance and flexibility that older workers need and desire
• Agencies should develop a career progression model that allows older workers to opt for phased retirement, such that they can work part-time in the latter years of their career

To view the complete GAO report, see: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d09206.pdf