Thursday, November 13, 1997

Retired workers a valuable asset

By CAROL KLEIMAN

Chicago Tribune

The wisdom and knowledge of long-time employees often don't get much recognition in this age of massive downsizing and restructuring.

Many companies cut off some workers so abruptly when they retire that remaining employees complain the institutional memory has been lost.

"There's no one around who knows where the paper clips are," said a worker for a company where much of the senior staff has retired.

"There's no one left who even knows who our clients are," an employee at another firm observed.

That's why it's encouraging to know some companies continue to value the smarts of their retirees.

Gary Diaz, group vice president and chief technical officer of Navistar International Transportation Corp., headquartered in Chicago, recently gave a luncheon for 38 former employees of the company's truck engineering facility in Fort Wayne, Ind. Each of the guests had retired within the last five years.

"We wanted to establish a strong communications link with these valuable former employees and tap into their considerable collective base of knowledge," Diaz said.

The retirees discussed corporate strategies and products (some of which they had helped develop), and were encouraged to drop by the engineering center any time to participate in whatever's going on.

Some retirees have been hired as independent contractors and consultants.

Diaz's approach of making former long-time employees actually feel welcome is a terrific morale-booster to both retirees and current employees.

It might not be as good as a golden parachute, but it's surely right up there.

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"Generally, the higher the income, the more positive the attitudes about work."

That's one of the findings of a recent survey of 1,010 American adults by The Marlin Co. Inc., of North Haven, Conn.

"The higher the pay, the higher the job satisfaction, the lower the boredom level, the greater the degree of security in asking for a raise," the research shows.

The higher the pay," the greater the feeling of freedom to suggest ideas, the harder people work ... and the more positively they speak about their company."

Moral: An inexpensive way for employers to get a big bang for their bucks is to pay workers well.

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The Job Accommodation Network is a toll-free information service that provides employers and people with disabilities technical assistance on job accommodations for the workplace and information about the employment provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

It's helped thousands of people, both employees and employers, since it was established in 1984. And, its users will be relieved to know, the important service is not a victim of zealous federal budget-cutters.

Instead, West Virginia University Research Corp. has been awarded a five-year grant, renewable annually, to operate the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities' network. Funding for the first year is $897,000.

Here's what JAN does that makes it so important:

1. Trained consultants answer the telephone.

2. They give information on accommodation methods, devices and strategies.

3. It is developing an electronic database of information that employers will be able to access.

The number for the free service is 800-526-7234.

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Here's an excerpt of interest from a new book that pertains to the world of work:

"Career development is ideally a joint effort between the individual, manager and organization. While the individual has primary responsibility ... the (manager) is a supportive coach and the organization provides the necessary systems and information.

"Career development involves looking realistically at the present conditions and at the career environments of today and tomorrow ... " From: "Up is Not the Only Way," by Beverly L. Kaye (Davies-Black, $28.95).

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Get all the help you can to further your career from your manager and the organization you work for -- but remember that moving ahead is up to you. Nobody else.