Corporations Finding A Valuable Resource In Hiring Senior Citizens
hat is the CEO’s mother passed away due to
responsibility of our cancer, Gendusa started looking
corporate leaders when for something for her father to
facing a world where a large do.
majority regards senior citizens
as a group of second-class “His whole life revolved around
citizens? Statistics show that my mother,” said Joy, “I noticed
seniors (65+) represent 12.7% of that without something to create
U.S. population, about one of on, he was not as happy.” Joy
every eight Americans. hired her father, not expecting
the surprising outcome.
Mature adults are the fastest
growing demographic segment of “The staff loved him – and he
the population and at age loved them. I saw him light up
sixty-five, 23% are still working when he got to contribute to the
for a variety of reasons – to overall expansion of the
supplement their income or their company.”
health insurance benefits; to not
have to be dependent upon Not only did Joy’s father, Bernie
relatives; or just to continue to Lebowitz, get attention, but he
make use of their talents and was invaluable in working on a
abilities by working. (1) much needed project to identify
reasons for failed sales calls so
Private Industry Taking Notice that targeted marketing messages
could be tailored to those past
Privately-held corporations are prospects and clients to generate
taking notice. A Clearwater, more revenue.
Florida-based corporation,
PostcardMania, started hiring “He was so conscientious - he
more senior citizens. When the would work on the weekends to
ensure that he got his job done 2005. But bringing experienced,
and ensured it he did more than well-educated, elderly employees
he did the week before - every into the mix changed the
week,” said Joy. chemistry of the company – a
change that was a welcome to Joy.
Bernie, a successful entrepreneur
in the shipping industry before “It’s not that I thought that
retirement, recommended his elderly employees would not be an
friend, Murray Schact, for hire asset,” Joy said, “Senior
to the PostcardMania employee citizens rarely came in to apply
roster as well. Schact, a former for jobs here.” Since the hire
IBM executive, applied and came of Bernie and Murray,
on board to help PostcardMania PostcardMania’s Human Resources
maximize their database for has expanded its hiring pools to
increased sales. more mature applicants. There is
a bevy of older generation
Before hiring her father, the employees that work at
majority of PostcardMania was a PostcardMania now – many on their
large percentage of young 2nd and 3rd careers.
aspiring adults with little or no
experience. That younger The prevailing thought around the
demographic – willing, eager country is that people want to
minds that could learn a trade - quit working when they are done
excelled into Gendusa’s top with their 25, 30, or 50 year
executives, being paid well above career. “I have found that the
the norm. Gendusa quickly boomed majority of seniors that apply
her enterprise into the (at PostcardMania) still want to
fastest-growing direct mail be able to contribute to be
marketing firm in the nation useful in their lives,” said
recognized by Inc. Magazine in Cindy Wilson, PostcardMania’s VP
of Human Resources. expertise. Likewise this ‘help’
is giving these veterans their
Murray, now a Boca Raton citizen 2nd and 3rd careers.
who in his career-life at IBM
created the flight software for Publix, the largest
the airline industry, had been employee-owned supermarket chain
retired for over 15 years. He in the United States, founded by
now works for PostcardMania the late George W. Jenkins in
remotely from home. 1930 in Winter Haven, Florida,
PostcardMania’s IT division set has a corporate philosophy to
Murray up to be able to access provide a diverse workforce and
the company’s database and is known for its employment of
continue his work from afar. senior citizens, where one of out
every five Publix employees are
“I am so thankful to be able to older than 50. These ‘mature
work on something worthwhile and associates’ are a large part of
meaningful,” said Murray, “It the Publix workforce and make up
(PostcardMania) literally gave me 30,000 of their 141,000 total
my life back – I mean that.” employees.
Corporate Giants Also Take Heed “Mature Associates offer valuable
skills, maturity and experience,”
Corporate giants are also taking said Shannon Patten, Publix Media
notice of the elderly as a and Community Relations Manager.
valuable resource and enlisting “They have a strong work ethic,
senior citizens for help – not many skills and job knowledge
just in volunteer activities, but that they share with our younger
in creating new careers that associates.” Shannon says the
allows them to exercise their corporate philosophy is such that
hard-won experience and they encourage an environment
where senior citizens will want
to apply. Senior citizens or ‘mature
associates’ are becoming an
Even Wal-Mart, despite their integral part of the workforce
recent bad rap in the media, is and is one of the ways
one of the leading employers of corporations can take
senior citizens in the United responsibility for the social and
States, employing nearly a economic welfare of our country.
quarter million associates - just
less than 20% of Wal-Mart’s (1) taken from
workforce is at least 55 years www.seniorjobbank.org
old.
About the Author:
Karla Jo Helms is the Vice President Public Relations for
PostcardMania (www.PostcardMania.com). PostcardMania is a full service postcard direct mail marketing company which includes graphic design, printing and mailing services.
Published At: www.Isnare.com
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