By 2030, the 65+ population is expected to reach 73 million as GenXers continues to enter retirement years and will represent 20.9% of the projected total national population of 350 million in 2030.
Meanwhile, the number of households headed by someone in that age group will increase by 66 percent to almost 50 million—with the result that by 2035, an astounding one out of three American households will be headed by someone aged 65 or older.
According to several recent national surveys and reports, around half of the US population age 55 and over has no retirement savings or pension.
This has profound implications for the next wave of policy planners as they enter the 21st century, as higher numbers of older seniors with increased longevity and healthcare needs will impact the entitlement programs, labor force participation, and economic growth over the next decade.
In today’s world, acceleration (especially AI’s) seems to be increasing. The rate of change is also increasing and when the rate of change exceeds the ability to adapt, we get what Thomas Friedman declared, dislocation.
Disruption is when someone does something clever that makes stuff look old and some companies, obsolete. Dislocation is when the whole environment, including its systems are being altered so quickly that everyone starts to feel they can’t keep up.
That’s what’s happening now….
Next Generation
While researching future(s) forecasts on the effects of the COVID pandemic on babies, students, and their future trajectories, a few interesting correlations and insights on potential cultural and business impacts emerged.
Diminished Social Skills - With many experiencing isolation, stress, and screen overexposure at young ages for prolonged periods, as they enter schools and workplaces there could be broader lagging effects on social, emotional, communication and soft skills that are highly valued across business cultures.
Widened Achievement Gaps - Academic declines and motivational disruptions concentrated among at-risk groups signal a widening of socioeconomic achievement gaps as this generation matures. This translates down the line into a less prepared entry-level workforce lacking some key skills.
Accelerated Digital Adoption - As "digital natives", this generation's immersive technology usage and tech-enabled education could drive accelerated mainstreaming of virtual interfaces, digitally augmented staff training/coordination workflows, AI analytics, telehealth etc. across future workplaces to align with their robust comfort levels.
Heightened Focus on Resilience - Having come of age under crisis conditions, their formative experiences may shape attitudes and workplace culture trends emphasizing psychological safety, work-life balance, organizational resilience to disruption, contingency workforce planning, remote collaboration capacity, health support etc.
Past Generation
