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there is now increased information available about different benefits in different countries and companies (Maitland, 2001, p. 15). European governments and companies have long engaged in practices that encourage early retirement, but the result is a drain on the nation's labor pool at a time when jobs are left unfilled due to a lack of qualified candidates. As a result, trade unions in Europe are working with companies to pay older workers to stop working shifts in order to avoid job burnout. By contributing to a savings account for shift workers over the course of their careers, companies are making it possible for older workers to change to day shifts without losing the pay differential that makes shift work attractive. As a result, there is less strain on older workers who work shifts since they are able to transition to day jobs that are less stressful (Maitland, 2001, p. 15). Such a plan does have financial costs to the organizations, and may not be practicable in all corporate environments, but it does offer an alternative to the drain of older workers. Challenges for Employers One of the most obvious challenges to employers is balancing the experience and knowledge that older workers bring to the job with the cost associated with having older workers on the payroll. Older workers often command higher salaries and wages than their younger counterparts, particularly when they have been with the same organization for an extended period of time. At the same time, older workers use more health care benefits than younger workers, contribute more money to 401(k) and other retirement plans that might be subject to employer matches, and are able to contribute more—and withdraw more—from pension plans (Szalai, 1998, p. 2). Employers must therefore find ways to balance the benefits of older workers, including a strong work ethic, with the cost of having an older workforce. As today's workforce ages, employers must confront the challenge of having large numbers of experienced employees retiring at the same time. For example, it is estimated that approximately 20 percent, or 281,000 federal employees, will retire between 2001 and 2005 (Tobias, 2001, p. 27). Any organization which loses not only 20 percent of its workforce, but the most experienced 20 percent of its workers, over a five-year period is in danger of losing its competitive edge and its ability to perform effectively. In order to meet this challenge successfully, Tobias recommends that organizations put a workforce plan into place. Such a plan is important for all organizations at any time, but becomes especially important when there are critical factors at work affecting the employment pool. A workforce plan identifies the jobs that will need to be filled over a given period of time, the