Will Labor Be Affected by Baby Boomers Retiring

I see the ebb and flow happening that has already begun. In the past ten years or so many office jobs have been eliminated due to computers, internet and email being more efficient than the old snail mail and many of the old systems that were just over control. That is not a bad thing. We have all become more efficient and leaner with our paperwork and tasks because of these changes. Some of the Assistant to the Assistant of the Assistant Manager, positions were also taken out as well they should be. Computers and new rules and regulations have helped to cut our payrolls and again, some of these subtractions were sorely needed as the "old way" was not as efficient any longer. The "baby boomers" generation has had to change with these times, so they are already skilled in being able to adapt quickly to new systems and operations.

Being of this age group, I know that most of my peers and me included have enjoyed the ability to shorten our hours and let the up and coming generations do the 50-60 hour weeks while they are building their careers. There will be a lot of people who will still be working part time in many different fields. This is a great time to dabble in fields we couldn't before because of job hopping stigmas and changing careers in mid stream is usually disastrous to ones salary!

I see a spike in jobs happening in 1-2 years, and then it will drop off again in about 5 years. After that even as people from our generation start to retire, I don't think it will make even a small ripple on any one labor area. I feel that some people have already gone to part time and some people will keep working part time in the field they have always been in; some will find a brand new field or even open their own business. So, I don't see one big dramatic dip.

There are always going to be a certain seasonal, part time, class of jobs that sometimes will be filled with college students and sometimes will be filled by "baby boomers". And of course the dreaded "only the younger people" class of jobs that require brute physical stamina, or the newest Masters degrees and the up to the minute computer programs or systems. I myself am ready to turn over the baton to the best and the brightest (baby boomers or younger) to take over and they can start the "new improved" way of business!