Summary question:

GASC wants to expand its business, and the partners need to find the right kind of workers. They are having difficulty finding talent, and they are losing experienced, older workers in crucial customer relations positions. The partners overlook the contributions and underutilize their older employees.

The partners decide to ask several of their older workers for recommendations and conclude that the loss of several of these individuals could potentially damage their business further.

Do you agree that older workers can convey the company’s values to new hires, serve as role models for workplace behavior, be mentors in knowledge transfer to younger employees and provide a ready resource for periodic workforce projects? How would you make this case?

Consider the following questions in your analysis:

1. Analyze how Pam, Mac and Shelia are reacting to changes at GASC. What are the issues for each?

2. What are the mentoring possibilities in this case study that would improve the quality of service from new employees and retain older workers? Why should mentoring be considered as an option?

3. What new career options (advancement, role changes) could be created to retain and preserve the knowledge of the more experienced workers who are considering leaving?

4. How can the partners improve the gardening knowledge of new employees? Where should they look?

5. How could the company retain the knowledge of experienced employees?