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A Suggestion for Human Resources
Constant Retirement RateSchools and colleges have had a habit of hiring young or not hiring for a constant retirement rate. That habit has led to a hiring freeze and an extreme competition for academic posts in the last three decades, 1970 onward. That habit has led to a shortage of retirements in education due to the too rapid hiring of faculty from one age group. Soon there may be a rapid retirement of the latter age group and a shortage of replacements. Education reform needs to be form and hire teachers and faculty for the sake of a constant retirement rate and a better age distribution. A constant retirement rate would allow for the rejuvenation of schools and colleges during steady-state periods of non-growth, give the last-in more security of employment during periods of contraction, as management in place of cutting employees immediately, with or without compensation for years of service, can wait instead for the effect of a constant retirement rate (say 3 to 5% a year). Any public service that hires towards a constant or accelerated retirement rate will find itself rejuvenated continuously during periods of non-growth, or periods where retirements permit new hiring's, and will find itself in a situation where its most recent hires reflect the demographics of the population it serves. Not hiring for a constant retirement rate leads to situation where the demographic face of the old employees doe not change while that of the population does. Hiring towards to a constant or accelerated retirement rate was not obvious goal in times of expansion or growth. But times have changed. Hiring towards a constant or accelerated retirement rate will have advantages and disadvantages to be considered in each field of activity. Fire fighters, those not driving a desk or a truck, need to be physically fit and thus young. |
Algebra, Odds & Ends, Odd and Ends, Essays
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