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How can I be strategic in bringing up concerns about rumors of a mass exodus in terms of retirees at my company?

Elaine Varelas provides guidance on the sensitive nature of the situation and how to bring up any concerns to upper management


 
  Boston.com

By Elaine Varelas

Q.  My team at my job is mostly comprised of older, experienced workers of retirement age. Our team is cohesive and does great work, and there are indications that changes to anyone’s role could lead to several retirements in a short time span. The company is rumored to be planning some restructuring within the company and upper management is focused on retaining the team. What are some ways that I can bring up this sensitive planning concern?

A. Your concern seems to be about the potential loss of friends and experienced colleagues, or is it that you think the oldest employees should be the first to leave? Senior leadership may be concerned about the institutional knowledge they may lose if all the people approaching retirement age are impacted by the restructuring. Unless organizations have a mandatory retirement age for roles (e.g., pilots, some law firms) asking about retirement plans is illegal. Restructuring based on age is also illegal.

If you aren’t in Human Resources or a manager, you don’t have a role in advising the firm. You can certainly share your concerns with your manager or HR. Recognize that any plans for the restructuring are confidential and they may not be able to share anything with you, but assure you that should anything happen, the organization will do their best to take care of people. In any restructuring, whether one or hundreds of people are moved out of an organization, strong companies offer benefits support (benefit continuation and COBRA), financial support (severance), and job search support (outplacement).

Human Resources can assist in restructuring work to better suit both the affected employees and the organization’s talent needs. Effective HR leaders encourage managers to look at the skill set needed for the future in terms of retention. They’re going to look for the most skilled person who fits the job criteria, and they may or may not follow the “last in, first out” practice that younger employees may be most concerned about. Strong human resources departments also look at what kinds of other roles employees might be interested in. If an organization is restructuring, they may offer an incentivized voluntary retirement program so that workers of retirement age can take advantage of it. Or they may go the other way and do everything they can to retain these people based on their talent and the skill set needed. 

Employees who aren’t quite ready to retire may also consider a phased retirement program, which will allow for a more seamless transition of job duties and responsibilities. Not all people of retirement age want to retire or are financially ready to retire. So, eliminate any biases that you have or any preconceived notions that you have about these older people who you believe should be moving out.

If your team runs smoothly, it is understandable to be concerned about the loss of institutional knowledge, disruptions with staff changes and the impact on ongoing team projects, and training that might be necessary for new team members. You can certainly let your manager know the rumors that have hit the organization. Hopefully, your manager can reassure you about what the organization has planned. Make sure that you address any concerns objectively and focus on planning for the continued and future success of your team.