In 2025, the number of Americans reaching age 65 is a record 4.1 million. While not every baby boomer will hang it up by the age of 65, we can expect to see a record number of retirements this year, too.
The Great Retirement Boom, also referred to as the ‘Silver Tsunami”, isn’t just caused by the record number of people hitting retirement age. The baby boomer generation is also the wealthiest of the generations, allowing them to live more comfortably after they retire.
As the baby boomer generation enters the peak years of retirement between 2024 - 2027, employers must get ahead of the impact it will have on their workforce. Let’s dive into some ways that you can prepare.
Identify Key Roles
Start by identifying the roles within your organization that are most likely to be affected. Who is retiring in the next 2-5 years? What skills and expertise do they have that may be difficult to replace? How will these retirements affect the department as a whole?
Start Documenting
Don’t let decades of expertise and wisdom walk out the door. After identifying the positions that will be most impacted, meet with employees who are approaching retirement to help map out and document the following:
- Responsibilities and tasks
- Key relationships or contacts
- Proprietary methods or processes
Ensure all SOPs are updated and accurate, and consider creating video tutorials for training purposes.
Start Recruiting Now
Don’t wait until your retirement-age employees start retiring to begin filling their roles. Start recruiting now to backfill those future openings. Whether a key employee is retiring in 3 months or 3 years, it’s a good idea to start training up the person who will take their place as soon as possible for the smoothest transition.
Mentor and Invest in Current Employees
Think about your current team – which employees have the most potential? Examine their current strengths and skillsets and determine any gaps that could be filled with training or development. Consider investing in courses or programs that allow them to help fill the shoes of the more seasoned employees who will be retiring. You can also implement a mentorship program where your retirees help train up younger members of your team.
Diversify Your Hiring Strategy
Getting creative with your agriculture recruiting strategy can help you more easily replace the retirees leaving your organization. In an already tight labor market, here are a few ways you can think outside of the box when it comes to ag recruiting to expand your talent pool:
- Consider hiring “untraditional” candidates such as freelancers, career changers, veterans, or non-agriculture candidates
- Join or host a hiring event or job fair
- Post your openings on agriculture job boards
- Build relationships with local ag colleges or trade schools to attract up and coming talent
Rethink Retention and Retirement
Not all retirees want to stop working completely. Flexible arrangements can keep them a part of your ag organization longer and allow for smoother transitions. Consider allowing your soon-to-be retirees the option for part-time or seasonal roles, consulting gigs, or phased retirement plans.
Leverage Automation and Technology
In some cases, roles being vacated by retirees may now be ones that can become partially automated or made more efficient with the right tools. Evaluate opportunities within your ag business to implement automation, AI, or new digital platforms that could help close the gap in your labor force.
Partner with an Ag Recruiting Firm
Does the thought of recruiting for your farm or agribusiness feel overwhelming? Let AgHires help! Whether you’re looking to hire on-farm employees, sales professionals, or executives, our team of expert ag recruiters are here to do the recruiting, so you can focus on other areas of your operation. We work with your team to develop a tailored recruitment strategy and utilize our vast industry connections to attract only the top talent for your ag business.
Learn more about how AgHires Recruiting and Job Posting Solutions can help find your next hire, or contact us today.
Do you have a key leader retiring soon? Check out this video for more succession planning tips from AgHires Founder, Lori Culler.
