The Generativity Track: A Transitional Approach to Retirement

Abstract

The current political debate on the future and funding of social security and the increasing number of private pension plans at risk of bankruptcy has focused renewed attention on the broader issue of retirement, and of the resulting shifts that will occur in cultural, social, economic, public policy, and organizational practices. The statistics and trends are compelling and persuasive. There is a demographic shift occurring, both in the United States and globally, that must be understood and confronted by public policy makers, organizational leaders, and by the professional human resource community. The impact of this shift has made an awareness and understanding of demographic issues a core competency for the human resource professional. In the absence of this knowledge and perspective of demographics, human resource leaders will be unable to confront strategically the impact of demographic changes both on employees and the organizations they serve.