At a launch of the FedExperience initiative, PPS issued a report making a case for a hiring model to move senior private sector workers into government jobs.
A Golden Opportunity: Recruiting Baby Boomers Into Government," is based on a survey of workers age 50 to 65 that found that many older workers expect to continue working for a relatively long time.
According to the survey, 71 percent of workers 55-59 plan to work for at least six years while 29 percent plan to work for 11 years or more.
PPS said the government hires high percentages of older workers into critical positions anyway – those being IT, engineering, legal and accounting positions, which could make for a perfect fit.
The survey identified some challenges to the initiative. It said just 11 percent of older Americans are aware of government job opportunities; 66 percent feel the federal government is ineffective; just 50 percent of federal job openings are open to those outside the government; and 57 percent of older Americans see the federal hiring process as cumbersome. Another potential barrier is skepticism between seasoned federal workers and new arrivals, the report said.
However, PPS noted that the federal government offers flexibilities older workers might find enticing, such as flexible work schedules, job sharing, increased vacation time for experienced new hires and telework arrangements.
