Desperate to keep its older workers, Finland is laying on the perks. An interesting article in Business Week magazine, We’re Not Finnished With You Yet says Finland may have the answer to the impending exodus of baby boomers from the workforce.
Forty percent of the Finnish population will reach retirement age in the next fifteen years. Worried about the loss of so much manpower, not to mention institutional memory and leadership, the Finns have launched a national age ability program.
Instead of encouraging early retirements, as many companies are doing to cut costs, Finnish companies are offering benefits and perks to induce older workers to stay on the job longer. That includes health and wellness benefits and extra paid vacations in some cases.
With longer life expectancies and better health, previous opinions about what constitutes retirement age are being reviewed.
The older worker has some responsibilities, too, of course: Being fit and keeping skills and enthusiasm up.
