New Wharton School Publishing Book, Work Wanted Helps Managers and Professionals
New York, NY – In this current economic crisis, millions of baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) are coming to realize that they will need to work years longer than they once expected. Some who have already retired are discovering a need to head back to the workforce. If already retired or newly laid off, for many, finding a job once again is a new reality. s it still possible for boomers to reinvent themselves and find work that truly reflects their talents and passions? The answer to all these questions is “YES!” according to two renowned workforce experts.
In Work Wanted: Protect Your Retirement Plans in Uncertain Times (Wharton School Publishing, ISBN-13: 978-0132354646, $22.99, 256pp), James W. Walker and Linda H. Lewis help baby boomers systematically build an action plan to keep working (or return to work) on their own terms. Walker, a leading consultant, has spent decades helping large companies manage the issues associated with experienced workers and retirement as a former leader of The Walker Group HR consultancy; and former VP/ Director of Towers Perrin’s HR planning consulting practice. Lewis is a consultant, organizational development professional and recently retired university professor. Formerly a senior vice president with Charles Schwab & Co. and vice president of human resources and corporate education at Kaiser Permanente and The Travelers Companies, she led major change initiatives, ran corporate universities and championed workforce development.
“In these tough economic times, many baby boomers simply can’t afford to retire, so it’s important to plan ahead so they can stay relevant in today’s workplace,” says Walker. “Boomers are challenging the myths that the aging process will affect them in any limiting way; they are healthier than past generations and bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the workplace,” adds Lewis.
Thoroughly grounded in the latest research, Work Wanted brings together pragmatic tools, resources, and checklists boomers can use to build meaningful, productive and professional lives. Work Wanted provides timely information on:
- The new and lingering myths of retirement – and why they are so dangerous
- Making more informed decisions about how long one really needs to work, and how much retirement income one really needs
- How to coax employers into providing greater flexibility – including innovative new “phased retirement” approaches
- Realistic guidance for building a successful career as a free agent
- How to transform the rest of one’s life to live well, stay healthy, be more fulfilled — and still pay the bills
Walker and Lewis offer the following tips to help boomers accentuate their strengths and stay relevant in the workplace:
- Pursue work that fits your capabilities by building on your strengths and avoiding work affected by limitations
- Tap your experience and expertise that is relevant to, and valued by, your employer
- Approach work with a constructive and positive attitude
- Investigate working part-time or exploring flexible hours – this might be a good option depending on your financial needs
- Consider entrepreneurship and consultant work – this route highlights years of experience and/or offers the opportunity to make a career shift by exploring hidden skills and talents
Together in Work Wanted, Walker and Lewis have drawn on their immense experience to offer practical guidance that reflects the true needs of boomer managers and professionals, and the realistic expectations of today’s employers.
Contact Laura Czaja, PR Manager for Wharton School Publishing at 212.641.6627 or laura.czaja@pearson.com to request a copy of the book, excerpt or interview with the author.
About the Authors
James W. Walker, Ph.D. is a leading consultant, speaker, and author on HR strategy and workforce management; former leader of The Walker Group HR consultancy; and former VP/ Director of Towers Perrin’s HR planning consulting practice. He authored the award-winning text Human Resource Planning , co-authored The End of Mandatory Retirement , and founded the Human Resource Planning Society.
Linda H. Lewis, Ed.D., is a consultant, organizational development professional and recently retired university professor. Her background as a professor of adult learning at the University of Connecticut and member of the doctoral faculty at Fielding Graduate University is complemented by executive roles in the corporate sector. Formerly a senior vice president with Charles Schwab & Co. and vice president of human resources and corporate education at Kaiser Permanente and The Travelers Companies, she led major change initiatives, ran corporate universities and championed workforce development.
About Wharton School Publishing
Wharton School Publishing is dedicated to presenting the world’s foremost business thinkers in print, audio and interactive formats. All titles must be approved by a senior Wharton faculty review board to ensure that they are timely, important, conceptually sound, empirically based, and implementable. The editorial focus on applicable knowledge, along with multi-media publishing, enables readers to gain new insights into the issues shaping the future of business, and plan and take action to achieve their goals. Wharton School Publishing is a partnership between Pearson, the world’s leading education company, and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
About Pearson
Pearson (NYSE:PSO), the global leader in education and education technology, reaches and engages today’s digital natives with effective and personalized learning, as well as dedicated professional development for their teachers. This commitment is demonstrated in the company’s investment in innovative print and digital education materials for preK through professional learning, student information systems and learning management systems, teacher development, career certification programs, and testing and assessment products that set the standard for the industry. The company’s respected brands include Scott Foresman, Prentice Hall, Addison Wesley, Benjamin Cummings, the Stanford Achievement Test, the Wechsler family of assessments, SuccessNet, MyLabs, PowerSchool, SuccessMaker, and many others. Pearson’s comprehensive offerings help inform targeted instruction and intervention so that success is within reach of every student at every level of education. Pearson’s commitment to education for all is supported by the global charitable giving initiatives of the Pearson Foundation. Pearson’s other primary businesses include the Financial Times Group and the Penguin Group. For more information, go to www.pearson.com.
Work Wanted: Protect Your Retirement Plans in Uncertain Times
James W. Walker, Linda H. Lewis
February 2009
$22.99
256 pps.
ISBN -13: 978-0-13-235464-6