Workplace 101: A Profiles Global Business Blog

4 Tips for Your Business to Weather the Next Storm

Hurricane Irene has left the radar, but her effects will be felt and dealt with for some time. In the days leading up to the storm, governments, businesses, and homeowners had time to prepare and, in drastic cases, evacuate. How well you and your constituents weather a crisis often depends on the strength of leadership, dedication of front-line employees, and accurate and timely flow of information. Here are 4 crisis management lessons to help your business weather the next storm.

The aging workforce presents both challenges and opportunities to organizational leaders. America's population is getting older at a faster pace than at any time in the nation's history. The Census Bureau says that an American turns 65 years old every 13 seconds and that some 10,000 boomers retire every day. It's estimated that 70 million people will be 65 or older by 2030—nearly doubling the 34 million today.

Nearly eight million jobs have been lost in the Great Recession, according to the Department of Labor. The un employment rate has been hovering between 9 percent and 10 percent for nearly two years. Meanwhile, senior citizens will account for 20 percent of the U.S. population by 2030. This demographic explosion may wind up helping a struggling economy catch its breath. However, it presents both challenges and opportunities to business leaders as they navigatethrough change.