The article focuses on an industrial survey, which suggests that 78 percent of those firms surveyed are taking steps to prepare for the loss of Baby Boom-era employees, while only 15 percent of those same firms say they are very concerned about the problem. Developed by Robert Half International Inc., the staffing service firm specializing in accounting, finance, and information technology, the survey was conducted by an independent research firm and included responses from 150 executives with the nation's 1,000 largest companies. Sharon Turner, Robert Half International Northern California district president said that the first step is to identify the right candidate, someone who has strong communication and leadership skills, is committed to the company for the long term, and is able to meet changing business demands. Next, managers should let the successor know about the plan as soon as it's decided. This will demonstrate they value the employee's contributions and motivate him or her to continue the strong performance.