2018 New Hampshire Survey of Employers: Finding, Keeping, Recruiting Qualified Workers

The Business and Industry Association (BIA) and AARP know the value of older workers and that maximizing their talent, skills, and knowledge can help bridge the current gap in New Hampshire between the number of available younger and older workers. 

To help BIA and AARP in their efforts to gain insight on how employers in New Hampshire retain and recruit workers ages 50 and older, they commissioned a brief online survey of BIA member businesses.  With a final sample of 53 respondents representing corporate leadership among New Hampshire BIA members, these findings provide a good, initial qualitative view of the employer perspective.  

Key findings include the following:

• Among the 53 respondents, 19 indicate that at least half of their total workforce is age 50 or older.
• More than half (31 businesses) say that their company allows employees take advantage of family leave (paid or unpaid) to care for an older loved one.
• Most (45 businesses) indicate it is extremely/very important that their organization retain the knowledge and experience of retiring or otherwise departing employees.
• Most seem divided regarding their older employees being ready for retirement and understanding their benefits.

The survey was fielded between February 14, 2018 and March 15, 2018.  For more information on this issue in the state, please contact Todd Fahey at AARP in New Hampshire at tfahey@aarp.org or 603-230-4109.  For more information on this survey or the methodology, please contact Jennifer Sauer at jsauer@aarp.org or 202-434-6207.