When retirement is not the end of your career
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How can we fight ageism and the workforce shortage?
According to the statistical research of the Institut de la statistique du Québec, one out of four people in Quebec will be 65 or older in 2031 and the available workforce–people aged 15 to 64–has been shrinking since 2011. These underlying trends are now causing a shortage of employees in a number of fields, including accounting. Several factors are making it hard for people aged 55 and older to get a job or keep one in the current job market:
- Recruiters are often looking for young, energetic people.
- Candidates need to know how to use various high-tech communication tools (even though new employees are trained when they start their jobs).
- The conversation is now more about transferring rather than transitioning to retirement.
With this in mind, in 2019, CPA Daniel Bastien and his partner Megan Marinos launched "KIGI," a non-profit employment agency for pre-retired and retired individuals.
Here is our discussion with this passionate CPA entrepreneur who has no fear of challenges!
Here is our discussion with this passionate CPA entrepreneur who has no fear of challenges!
What pushed you to embark on the KIGI adventure?
We wanted to contribute to the greater good and were looking for a new project. In my career, I have seen retirees who were often misguided and noticed that there weren’t many real opportunities for them to make the most of their work experience or their motivation to stay active. That is why we founded our NPO, so that we could meet this need and make it easier to connect baby boomers with businesses, which are in desperate need of an experienced workforce.
KIGI Agency’s mission is to facilitate and simplify access to work for our “Kigiers” (individuals aged 55 and up!) by sharing interesting offers with them, regardless of the field. We want pre-retirees and retirees to keep contributing to society and to stay active, both physically and mentally.
KIGI Agency’s mission is to facilitate and simplify access to work for our “Kigiers” (individuals aged 55 and up!) by sharing interesting offers with them, regardless of the field. We want pre-retirees and retirees to keep contributing to society and to stay active, both physically and mentally.
What opportunities are available to baby boomers who want to stay active while enjoying their freedom?
An experienced, diversified workforce is in high demand in the current job market. Baby boomers are being asked to take up occasional or part-time work opportunities. There is something for everyone and anyone who wants to get involved socially and stay active: paid work, volunteer work and even business mentoring.
For example, all CPAs have to do is register for free on our platform and look at the opportunities posted. Businesses are looking for professionals to do accounting or bookkeeping, provide general assistance at month's end or fill in during vacations. Mentoring is also needed, in addition to board members for start-ups.
Obviously, there is room in the market for those who want to get involved outside the field of accounting and perform a wide variety of tasks, such as volunteering at an NPO or working in the manufacturing sector, the customer service sector, in retail and many other sectors.
For example, all CPAs have to do is register for free on our platform and look at the opportunities posted. Businesses are looking for professionals to do accounting or bookkeeping, provide general assistance at month's end or fill in during vacations. Mentoring is also needed, in addition to board members for start-ups.
Obviously, there is room in the market for those who want to get involved outside the field of accounting and perform a wide variety of tasks, such as volunteering at an NPO or working in the manufacturing sector, the customer service sector, in retail and many other sectors.
What comments have you received up until now from the employers and “Kigiers” registered on your platform?
We organized two focus groups in February 2021 to find out what employers had to say about topics such as diversity and the inclusion of baby boomers in the job market.
It is very encouraging to hear employers say that they really want to include retirees in their workforce. They recognize right away that more experienced staff members generally make responsible, enterprising and competent employees.
However, it is clear that we will have to keep working on breaking the taboo of ageism! One participant told us that he had reservations about older workers’ ability to use new technology platforms and mentioned that it took them a few weeks to learn and fully understand how to use a new technology at his company. Many employers have the perception that retired workers are challenged by computers, although that is not necessarily the case!
We have to make slight adjustments to the ways we recruit and run businesses if we want to effectively include retirees and make up for these workforce shortages, which will increase in a few years.
It is very encouraging to hear employers say that they really want to include retirees in their workforce. They recognize right away that more experienced staff members generally make responsible, enterprising and competent employees.
However, it is clear that we will have to keep working on breaking the taboo of ageism! One participant told us that he had reservations about older workers’ ability to use new technology platforms and mentioned that it took them a few weeks to learn and fully understand how to use a new technology at his company. Many employers have the perception that retired workers are challenged by computers, although that is not necessarily the case!
We have to make slight adjustments to the ways we recruit and run businesses if we want to effectively include retirees and make up for these workforce shortages, which will increase in a few years.
COVID-19 has changed your plans a little since you launched. How do you see the future?
The pandemic actually forced us to halt our operations officially, but we are still active! In fact, we are resuming our development efforts and preparing outreach events for the spring.
We are paying special attention to the positions we post to make sure that employers comply with the government’s current health rules. We want to highlight the outdoor jobs as soon as possible and we will focus on office jobs once the public vaccination campaign is well underway in the summer/fall of 2021.
To find out more or register, visit the KIGI Agency’s website. You can also follow the agency on Facebook and LinkedIn, or contact Daniel Bastian at daniel@agencekigi.com.