NBR Commentary – Federal Employment – 3 May 07
Uncle Sam wants you! Not just young people to join the stretched-thin military, but employees of all ages for civilian jobs throughout government. The Baby Boom retirement wave hits different occupations with different intensity at different times. One of the first to be hit hard is government service at all levels, especially Federal agencies.
The average American worker is 40 years old. The average Federal civilian employee is about 47, with the largest segment in their early 50s. One-half of today’s Federal employees will be eligible to retire by the end of 2010. Already there are half as many contracting officers as there were in 2001, dealing with double the number of contracts. In the senior executive service – that’s the professional managers of civilian agencies – over one-third are already eligible to retire. Uncle Sam has a whole lot of shoes to fill, and youngsters aren’t flocking to fill them.
Meanwhile, most Boomers plan to work in retirement, and many want jobs that give back to society. So a second part-time career in government service should be an excellent match. Except that working retirees demand flexible arrangements, and many crave an escape from bureaucracy, while government organizations remain among the less progressive employers, often places where you’re expected to be in the office from 9 to 5 so the boss can make sure you’re working.
So Uncle Sam wants you, but he’s got to change his ways and make you want to work for him.
I’m Robert Morison.
Uncle Sam wants you! Not just young people to join the stretched-thin military, but employees of all ages for civilian jobs throughout government. The Baby Boom retirement wave hits different occupations with different intensity at different times. One of the first to be hit hard is government service at all levels, especially Federal agencies.
The average American worker is 40 years old. The average Federal civilian employee is about 47, with the largest segment in their early 50s. One-half of today’s Federal employees will be eligible to retire by the end of 2010. Already there are half as many contracting officers as there were in 2001, dealing with double the number of contracts. In the senior executive service – that’s the professional managers of civilian agencies – over one-third are already eligible to retire. Uncle Sam has a whole lot of shoes to fill, and youngsters aren’t flocking to fill them.
Meanwhile, most Boomers plan to work in retirement, and many want jobs that give back to society. So a second part-time career in government service should be an excellent match. Except that working retirees demand flexible arrangements, and many crave an escape from bureaucracy, while government organizations remain among the less progressive employers, often places where you’re expected to be in the office from 9 to 5 so the boss can make sure you’re working.
So Uncle Sam wants you, but he’s got to change his ways and make you want to work for him.
I’m Robert Morison.
