Human Resources: Employees Need Your Help!
- 69% of workers are unsure they will be able to retire comfortably
- 79% of surveyed workers do not feel prepared for retirement
- Only 33% of non-retired Canadians have a formal retirement plan and saving
- Only a fraction has a “well-rounded” strategy that addresses both money and non-financial matters.
Employee Questions
Employees have hundreds of questions including:
“How do I truly get prepared for retirement?”
“How should I spend my time?”
“What’s going to happen when my spouse and I spend more time together?”
“What’s the best way to maintain my health as I age?”
“Should I remain in my present home?”
Today’s Human Resource practitioner is being called upon to offer employees a more holistic approach to retirement – one that encourages the exploration beyond pensions and benefits.
Though employees don’t expect their HR representative to be a retirement guru, they do expect an awareness of the issues surrounding retirement as they are in the ‘people business’.
When questions and concerns are raised by the employee, it is important for the HR representative to at least be aware of the concern and be able to speak to it in general terms. HR needs to recognize that happy and successful retirements are the result of the pre-retiree evaluating what’s important and construct actions to satisfy their needs and wants.
Actions by Human Resources
- Provide employees with insightful books and articles on retirement.
- Offer lunch ‘n learns highlighting the major topics of retirement, including the question, “How much is enough?”
- Hands-on workshops designed to sharpen the employees understanding of retirement needs and interests
- Establish a relationship with a retirement specialist who can provide support and answer the unfamiliar or uncomfortable employee questions. Also, a specialist who helps train HR staff on providing employees with value-added service
- Use a retirement specialist who offers coaching to employees and partners.
One of my clients said, “My HR representative understands what I’m going through. We talk about all aspects of retirement, and I appreciate her interest and support. She directed me to insightful books and articles. She offered attendance at a workshop and offered my partner and I with coaching. Because of our relationship and understanding, I share my positive feelings of my HR rep and company to friends. If I can help my company now and, in the future, I certainly will.”
Rick Atkinson, Mister Retirement. B. Comm, MBA, CHRP, CMC, FDFS.
Author: Retirement: The Ultimate Life Journey; Life After Work: Live it, Love it; Coaching Clients for Retirement; Strategies for Retiring Right! Why Me? And No Gold Watch! Don’t Just Retire, Live it, Love it! Also, the workbooks, The First Step! and Strategies for Retiring Right!