We hear a lot about the struggles modern parents face in juggling work and family needs. Meeting the demands of today's 24-hour, Blackberry-fueled workplace and still finding time for your kids (let alone time for yourself) can seem next to impossible. But here's the thing that should really scare every busy, overworked parent: It doesn't get any easier.
For the majority of Americans, the dream of shipping your kids off to college and retiring to an oceanfront condo has become just that -- a dream. Most seniors today find themselves still struggling to balance the demands of work and family. Older workers make up a larger portion of the workforce than ever before, with many people working full-time well into their 60s and 70s, either because they enjoy their jobs and want to keep contributing, or simply because they don't have enough savings to retire securely.
On top of this, older workers have increased family responsibilities, too. The majority of children now grow up in families in which both parents work full-time, meaning that grandparents take on a larger role in childcare. What's more, with people aged 18 to 26 hit harder than anyone else by the recession, many parents now find themselves still providing financially for their grown children, right when they expected to be easing into their own retirement. Add in the fact that seniors often need to devote significant time to their health and well-being, not to mention personal pursuits such as volunteering in one's community, and it should be clear that the work-life juggle doesn't stop, or even slow down, just because you've hit 62 (or 72 or 82).
So what do we do about it? The answer is that we have to change the way we work. The traditional, rigid structure of the workplace, where every employee works full-time, year-in and year-out, with few opportunities for time off or adjusted schedules, doesn't work very well for anyone anymore. But it's particularly problematic for seniors who have already been running this grueling work-life marathon for 40 or 50 years and are told that their only options are to stop altogether or keep going at the same pace. Companies need to provide new options that embrace the expertise and experience of our older employees and allow them to contribute to their workplaces while still living a balanced life.
Many companies have already introduced such options, including phased retirement, job sharing and flexible work arrangements that provide for shorter hours, alternative schedules or increased time off. Older workers frequently report that such arrangements are even more important than salary, which makes this an ideal change for cash-strapped companies that can't offer raises right now. However, only a small percentage of older workers have such options at their disposal. A recent survey from Cornell University found that 73 percent of companies say they would permit an older worker to reduce hours, but only 14 percent had formal policies that allow for this to happen.
If we want to ensure that our workplaces remain productive as our population rapidly ages, this has to change. By 2015, workers over 65 will constitute 20 percent of the workforce, and they already make up an increasingly large percentage of managers, supervisors and executives. Yet most employers have not developed strategies for retaining these employees.
Without increased opportunities for workplace flexibility, we are going to see more and more older workers hitting a wall and feeling like they can't continue. This isn't just about respecting our elders. It's about crafting workplaces that keep employees happy and engaged, and giving employers the chance to keep productive, efficient people in the workforce longer. There may no longer be a set age at which Americans can expect to stop doing the work-life juggle, but with the proper planning, we can make sure everyone is able to juggle successfully.
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What this article brings to mind for me is slightly off topic yet still relevant to some of the points the author is making.
Events are moving way off the norm that most of us Boomers have experienced since the late 1970's.
We had been lulled into a sense of continuity that has not been justified since 2006 or so- that is at least 25 years of prosperity that we have become accustomed and that ain't comin' back.
As we get older, other arrangements will need to be made that may not even be on our radar.
If times are not already tough for you, then use your imagination as to what the worst might be. Do your best to prepare for that and gain some peace of mind even as that preparation is a large dose of lowered expectations.
A few things might include:
*get as much control of your health as possible
*Get re-acquainted with a rake and shovel in the garden
*Learn some new skills repairing your necessities
*Re-read those Firefox books
*Tell your employer that part-time work with a little bump in pay would be nice. ;-)
Honestly - in this economy, with millions out of work - employers know they don't have to.
Increasingly, employees tolerate less flexibility, reduced vacation time, reduced sick time, increased insurance expenses, increased commute time, decreased employer loyalty, because they have no other choice.
Politicians are busy dismantling collective bargaining, while our 50 - 70 year olds find themselves caring for elderly parents, struggling to manage increased demands of raising kids - all while both parents work full time - and while employers demand longer hours (you are salaried after all!). Meanwhile college tuition escalates at 15% per year, pensions are gone, employer 401(k) contributions in decline, commute times longer.
The employee may think their limit has been reached, but the employer knows they can offshore jobs for even less.
Do any incentives for employers to "do the right thing" remain?
Yes - employees simply want the flexibility to make it possible to live their lives and meet their obligations - both to work and to others in their lives - but will employers feel so inclined?
Today's work environment is a buyers market, where the employer has paid top dollar to many lobbyist to keep regulations and restrictions at a minimum so if they can't find the exact talent fit locally, they can just as easily find it overseas or ship it state side. Or they can lay you off and rehire you a couple months later as a contractor for a fraction of your old salary with no benefits doing the exact same job. Or they can just bring in someone younger and cheaper and forget about experience.
This is the new normal and it seriously sucks.
But I would love to see some justice for the prime instigators of this global plague, where are those rats?
http://anyshinything.com/2011/02/15/will-you-take-my-money-if-i-wear-a-bag-over-my-head/
But does this mean they'll leave me? ;)
But seriously:
The real work/life imbalance for many comes after retirement when they've got too much life and it seems pointless without some kind of work to do....