The Best-Half

A proven amd successful approach to  retirement planning in organizations
In This Issue
Corporate benefits of retirement planning
The Aging Worker conference
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May 2007
Greetings...

best half logo 1
 
... and welcome to the first issue of The Best-Half newsletter. Since 2002 we have been working with individuals and organizations to create clarity, excitement and commitment about the future.  We have done this through the Best-Half process;
a proven, successful systematic planning process to assist people in achieving what they want out of life whether that is career, personal, family or all of it.  The Best-Half is now being used as a talent management tool, mid-career refocusing process and of course retirement or as we like to call it, reinvention planning.  
 
A common theme  that came out of a recent Federated Press conference on the Aging Worker (see below) was that companies see the change in older workers but are really unsure about how to proceed. What types of initiatives work best? What is out there to help their people effectively and successfully manage these significant events of personal change? What is available for the organization to cost effectively manage the expectations of older workers?
 
Our purpose is clear. We want to be your provider of choice when looking for strategies and processes for managing one of the most fundamental shifts in workplace culture - the changing workforce and the war for talent brought on by the baby boomer retirement.
 
Gordon
 
Corporate and organizational benefits of a well conceived and executed retirement planning initiative
Retirement planning programs have been around since the early eighties downsizing boom and then through the mid-nineties downsizing boom.
 
Their focus was on the downsized worker who was likely receiving a "package" and needed to understand how best to handle the financial ramifications of their change of status within an organization.
 
Today's retirement planning programs need to focus on a different set of objectives. The most important includes a greater focus on lifestyle because of the changes to the demographics and sociographics of the employees including age, health and financial wellness. On top of this is a fast changing  re-definition of what retirement is all about - from the outdated "ending" idea to the much more realistic "new beginning" or "reinvention" mindset.
 
But why should an organization care?
Here are a three of the top reasons:
  • A 'Thank you' to loyal employees
  • Development of a systematic approach to knowledge transfer
  • An increase in worker productivity right to the last day.

A well thought out retirement planning process does not start out a few weeks before someone is set to leave. It is a process that builds dialogue and expectations over multiple years with a commitment from  management and the employee that this is in both of their best interests.

The Federated Press Aging worker conference presentation
best half logo 1 A recent speaking engagement...
In late April I was honoured to be part of a day and a half long conference on the Aging Worker, sponsored by Federated Press. The audience was comprised of a strong cross section of large multinationals, health care organizations, school boards and a large Crown corporation. Everyone was there to learn more, find solutions and share stories about their own individual challenges with order workers. Several presenters spoke about how they had effectively integrated older workers into their workforce (Home Depot, Prime restaurants). On the final day of the conference I was the last presenter. I talked about the success of the Best-Half and how the process was grounded in 4 key drivers:
  • Legacy
  • Possibility
  • Reinvention and
  • Commitment
The audience went away, I hope, with a sense that the future can be successfully managed with their older workers by jointly planning for the type of reinvention that would result in not only a successful post-work life, but for a successful transition from the employer's point of view. Incidentally I just received my evaluations and scored 8.8 out of 10! 
For more information on The Best-Half or having Gordon Neufeld speak to your organization, call: 905 979 8904 or email: [email protected].