Nobody wants to ask Joe when he might be retiring. It's the elephant in the room, and no one wants to speak up first.
The image of manufacturing is unattractive to younger generations. In the past you expected people who needed a job to feed their family would show up, and you would have plenty of people to select from. It's not so anymore.
If they have a voice, they make a difference, they're learning, and it's a worthwhile contribution both to their own skill sets and contribution to the company, workers will want to stay on board.
A lot of the things we talk about the Generation Y wanting are in complete harmony with what the boomers want in order to stay.
