50+ Workforce Survey National Comparative Report
June to December 2006 Findings

As a part of the 50+ Workforce Initiative, ICW conducted a pre- and post- survey to determine the awareness of employers regarding the 50+ workforce and their capacity for addressing the issues. Participants in the four pilot sites (Bridgeport, CT; Charleston, SC; Northern Kentucky; and Tucson, AZ) were benchmarked against employers on a national scale to compare how their businesses measured up in the areas of hiring, retaining, advancing, and creating a flexible workplace that encompassed the needs of the older worker.

The results are in! Compare the results of last spring's survey to the one taken in December.
Download the 50+ Workforce Survey National Comparative Report now! (PDF)

Highlights and Implications

• Survey participants were able to access the survey through the U.S. Chamber's home page. As a result of such an open survey forum, a diverse group of respondents participated. These included a small number of chambers and associations, and 94 small businesses with fewer than 10 employees. The largest percentage of respondents in December (42.6%) belonged to the other  business category. In comparison, the largest percentage of respondents in June (37%) identified themselves in the manufacturing business category.
  
• An overwhelming majority of respondents categorized themselves as working for a for-profit organization. In the June survey, 99% of respondents worked for a for-profit business. In December, the percentage dropped to a still sizeable 61.8%. Roughly 38% of survey participants in December identified themselves as working for a nonprofit organization. The surveys suggest that regardless of the type of organization, the impact of the retirement of 77 million baby boomers will be felt in all organizations.
  
• From June to December, the percentage of respondents who identified themselves as working for a business with fewer than 10 employees increased 18.5%. In the June survey, 56.6% of respondents listed themselves as working for a medium-size business with 10 to 49 employees. In December, only 43.9% listed themselves as such. One possible reason for the decrease is that in December the number of respondents affiliated with businesses that have fewer than 10 employees increased. Another possible reason is that more respondents in December identified themselves as being in the 500 or more employees' category. In December, the larger respondents' base was 7.7% compared with just 2.2% in June.
  
• The June survey results show that almost all companies (93.9%) were either somewhat aware or very aware of the challenges faced by an aging workforce. In December, 94.6% of companies expressed this combined level of awareness. The most significant change from June to December was a 14.2% growth in the very aware segment, which increased from 45.5% to 59.7%. A possible reason for this increase was that the general media coverage of older workers in America was amplified during this timeframe. 
  
• The two most popular resources for workforce trends information were the media and associations. The business-focused organizations (i.e., chambers and associations) were the primary information resource, with 89% in June and 84% in December. Over the six-month period, the public workforce system category indicated a growth of more than 20%. AARP as an information resource also rose over 4 percentage points, from 16% to 21%.
  
• The two most popular information resources for recruitment and retention strategies were the associations and the media. The composite view of the business-focused organizations, (i.e., chambers and associations) was the primary information resource category, but it declined from 72.2% of respondents in June to 65.8% in December. For recruitment and retention information, the December survey saw an increase in the public workforce system category by more than 20%. AARP as an information resource also increased over 6 percentage points, from 8.4% to 14.6%. The not getting any information category declined from 29% to 22.9%, indicating an overall higher level of employer access to recruitment and retention strategies.