Older Workers: Can They be Motivated to Seek Employment in the Hospitality Industry a Preliminary Report

Abstract

Changes in retirement policies over the past 30-45 years have significantly influenced changes in employment patterns in the United States. These changes have made early retirement very attractive for many employees, and it is now an accepted practice for workers to retire in their 60s or even while still in their 50s. However, the changing labor force demographic pattern is making it increasingly undesirable for persons to leave the work place early. If the current demographic projections are correct and the current economic development trends continue, it may be necessary for firms to consider revising today's retirement policies if there are going to be enough workers to meet the projected employment demands.Recently there has been considerable interest in older persons as a new labor resource. Interest has generally been directed toward recruitment of older persons back into the labor force after they have left it for retirement. However, once persons leave the work force, it is generally difficult to...