Workplace Churn Prods More Companies to Consider Hiring Seniors

Churn in the workplace is causing many employers throughout Maine to turn to older workers, particularly baby boomers, to fill the void left by departing employees, reports the Portland Press Herald . "Employers are starting to get more creative about how they recruit because of the limited workforce these days," notes Debby Olken at KMA Human Resources Consulting. "They're willing to look at all types of people." Flexible schedules are seen as essential to older workers, as even retirees can be enticed back into the workforce if companies are willing to adjust scheduling. Maine's unemployment rate has held steady below 4 percent for more than three years. In January, the statewide average of 3.5 percent was even lower in Cumberland County, which at 3.1 percent rated the lowest unemployment rate in Maine. That ups the pressure on hiring. Career Management Associates CEO David Ciullo says older employees are usually attracted to an in-person experience and the opportunity to work part-time, a flexible schedule if they are to be coaxed into continuing employment, or returning to work after they reach the traditional retirement age.