Healthy workplaces for women and men of all ages

The aim of this knowledge compilation is to contribute with know-ledge about the work environment in relation to the ever-older workforce. How do employee needs and possibilities change from a course of life perspective? What should the employer and other work environment actors think about in order for the workforce to be able to and want to work to a high age? The Swedish Work Environment Authority wishes to give an overar-ching knowledge profile of different aspects of the work environment and the ageing workforce, and we therefore asked seven researchers to summarise the research-based knowledge within each of their are-as, from a course of life and gender perspective. An eighth researcher acted as an editor for the anthology, and has also written the preface. In summary, the report shows that we are becoming even healthier, living ever longer and working to an ever higher age. Older people in the workforce are positive for the economy because productivity increases, and the business sector can make use of competent and experienced staff for a longer time. But for the older labour force to be healthy and want to work at higher ages, one needs to take into consideration how ageing influences health and the capacity to work. With age, all people are affected to different degrees by reduced vision, hearing and physical capacity, as well as longer reaction times. Even their cognitive capacity changes. Certain cognitive abilities are strengthened with rising age, while others deteriorate. With an ageing workforce, more employees have chronic illnesses, which, however, seldom affect the actual working ability. Changes in working life also affect health and wellbeing, for example deregulated work and the technical development. Age and previous experiences impact upon our ability to adapt to these changes. One factor that promotes adap-tation is partly resilience (that is to say, resistance and the ability to adapt to the new), partly compensation strategies when the mental and physical resources change. There are no great differences bet-ween gender when it comes to the consequences of ageing on health and wellbeing in the work. On the other hand, the public health trend shows increasing differences in health between the lower educated and the higher educated - a difference increasing more quickly among women than among men. The gender-segregated labour market also means that more women than men work in physical and mentally burdensome work. Attitudes at the workplace also affect wellbeing and the will to continue working at higher ages. Men tend to be more sensitive to age discrimination while women run the risk of double discrimination, that is to say based upon both gender and age. Work 10 environment and the attitude to an older workforce are central to the considerations that an employee makes in the choice between continuing to work and retiring. Other prerequisites that influence the decision are one’s own health, private finances and self-fulfilling activities. The employer can do a great deal to lengthen and improve their employees’ working life. Systematic work environment management benefits everyone, and it can contribute to everyone keeping their working ability and to older people wanting to and being able to work for longer. Occupational health services of good quality also play an important role. Technical aids and adaptation of the working pace and working tasks are other measures that improve the work environment for the older workforce. The employer can also contri-bute to stimulating work arrangements and organisational support for the employees in order to strengthen their resilience and promote the development of compensation strategies

Recruiting Older Workers: Realities and Needs of the Future Workforce

This chapter examines literature pertaining to the recruitment of older workers. It begins by addressing the question of relevance and why older worker recruitment matters. It then examines what is known about older workers, including their attitudes, motivations, and behaviors. Next the chapter addresses what employers are looking for in older workers and, more specifically, discusses the continuum of employers’ practices from those that aggressively try to attract and retain older workers and apply a conservation model of older worker management to those that apply a depreciation model and focus primarily on retrenchment and downsizing older employees. Finally, it addresses how employers can recruit older workers through changes in organizational policies and practices

Aging, Retirement and Human Resources Management: A Strategic Approach

This chapter introduces the organizational view of retirement by exploring the relationship between organizational strategy and human resource management decisions regarding retirement. The authors begin with an overview of organizational strategy and discuss two methods used to plan for an aging and retiring workforce. Several key human resource decisions related to retirement are then addressed. In the pre-retirement phase, the role of HR In helping employees to prepare for retirement Is discussed, focusing primarily on financial planning and other retirement-related benefits. Next, human resource decisions pertaining to managing a retirement-ready workforce are discussed, addressing specifically the issues of knowledge transfer and motivating performance. Finally, interactions with individuals after retirement are discussed by looking at recruitment and bridge employment

Disability management: Key concepts and techniques for an aging workforce

The aging workforce is likely to result in increasing numbers of workers with disabilities. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that the 45-54 and 55-64 year-old population in the United States will grow by nearly 44.2 million (17%) and 35 million (39%) in the next ten years (U.S. Census Bureau, 2004). By the year 2010, this group will account for nearly half (44%) of the working age population (20-64), and the number of people with disabilities between the ages of 50 and 65 will almost double (Weathers, 2006). Disability management and accommodation policies and practices readily lend themselves to addressing the challenges employers will face with an aging workforce, and the increasing prevalence of disability which these demographics bring. Proactive education about ways to maximize the productivity of an aging workforce, effective case management, and workplace accommodation can significantly contribute to maximizing aging worker retention

Wisdom at Work: The Importance of the Older and Experienced Nurse in the Workplace

Focuses on promising strategies and opportunities for retaining experienced nurses, one of many approaches the authors recommend to alleviate the current nurse shortage crisis

Towards Age-Friendly Work in Europe: A Life-Course Perspective on Work and Ageing from EU Agencies

[Excerpt] The European population is ageing owing to decreasing birth rates and increasing longevity. Population ageing is associated with a decrease in the size and ageing of the workforce. The majority of the EU Member States have reacted to this development by, among other measures, increasing retirement ages and limiting early access to pensions. Nevertheless, a large percentage of workers in the EU do not stay in employment until the official retirement age. The reasons for this are diverse, and will be examined in more detail in this report. Policy-makers are faced with the challenge of addressing this demographic change and its implications for employment, working conditions, living standards and the sustainability of welfare states. The working conditions of older workers and their participation in the labour market are affected by various policy areas (see also Table 1). This report aims to outline various aspects of the working conditions of the ageing workforce and related policies

Absence and Disability Management Practices for an Aging Workforce

The goal of Disability and Absence Management programming is to limit absence, control costs, and retain workers to maintain a productive workforce. This can include the development of supportive policies (e.g. flexible work options), manager and employee education, supportive benefit programs, return to work programs, among others. Increasingly, older workers have become a group of interest among Absence and Disability Management professionals, in part because many baby boomers are forgoing retirement and working longer. Projections suggest that by 2020 those 55 and over could account for 25% of workers. This shift is especially important given that disability prevalence increases with age – as the workforce ages, organizations will increasingly need to ensure their programming supports older workers. During the fall and winter of 2012-13, Cornell University’s Employment and Disability Institute and the Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) collaborated on a survey and key informant interviews with DMEC members and conference attendees to learn more about what organizations are doing to respond to and prepare for an aging workforce

Will Employers Want Aging Boomers?

Explores the status quo of older workers; why baby boomers are likely to work longer; and how changes in needed skills, the characteristics of older workers, and labor force growth will affect demand for older workers. Includes policy recommendations

Employers' policies for third age employment – the case for action and the rational for reaction

This paper reports on findings from a study which explores employers’ perceptions of the careers of those in third age employment and the extent to which these organisations have in place policies and practices to manage older worker careers. Drawing on interviews with UK HR managers and advisory bodies, the study finds that there was an absence of formal policies which addressed the career needs of older works despite employers being aware of the issue associated with an aging workforce. Instead employers responded to career related requests from older workers on an ad hoc basis as they felt that specific policies for this group of people would potentially create legal issues for the organisation. Employers also believed that the aged workforce had little impact on their business and as a result did not engage in collective dialogue with older workers about their requirements and instead made assumptions about their career needs

"A wealth of knowledge": A survey of the employment experiences of older nurses and midwives in the NHS

Background: The United Kingdom's National Health Service workforce is ageing, and the specific needs of this sector of its workforce need to be addressed. Nursing, and midwifery shortage is a worldwide issue, and with increasing demands for care the retention of older nurses and midwives is crucial. Objectives: To report on the employment experiences of nurses and midwives with it particular focus on issues relating to age, ethnicity, ill-health and disability. Design: The postal survey was developed following a literature review and analysis of National Health Service and Government policy documents. Settings: This was a UK-wide Survey of nurses and midwives working in National Health Service Trusts and Primary Care Trusts. Participants/methods: A postal Survey of nurses and midwives was undertaken between May and December 2005. National Health Service Trusts and Primary Care Trusts (n = 44) identified as having policies relevant to the Study were contacted regarding the procedure for seeking research governance approval. Thirteen National Health Service Trusts and Primary Care Trusts participated, with 2610 surveys distributed; 510 Surveys were returned (20% response rate). Results: Nurses and midwives aged 50 years and over had undertaken fewer Continuing Professional Development activities than nurses and midwives Under 50. Whilst not related to age, the study also found that 20% of the survey sample reported experiencing some form of discrimination. Nurses and midwives did not differ on either quality of life or psychological health using standard instruments. Having a disability did not lead to greater psychological morbidity but did have a negative effect on quality of life. Having a work-related illness had a negative impact on both quality of life and psychological morbidity. hi relation to ethnicity, black nurses and midwives reported lower psychological morbidity than other ethnic groups; that is, they enjoyed a higher level of mental well-being. Conclusion: The nursing and midwifery workforce is ageing worldwide with a significant proportion now approaching, or having already reached, potential retirement age. With the recent introduction of the age legislation the working lives of older nurses and midwives in the National Health Service have never been more relevant. Whilst access to Continuing Professional Development is pertinent to the retention of nurses and midwives of all ages, in this study, older nurses reported less access that younger nurses. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved