Companies and Older Workers: Obstacles and Drivers of Labour Market Participation in Recruitment and at the Workplace

Schmitz, Jutta

doi:10.1057/9781137435149_10

Cited by 4 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Many people wishing to retire gradually therefore choose to or have to work in a different job in order to realize their plans. However, finding a job around pension age is difficult in many countries, as stereotypes and age discrimination are rife (Krekula and Vickerstaff 2017: 20-30), especially with regard to re-employment as opposed to retention (Schmitz, 2015). Additionally, labor legislation may impede the employment (or retention) of older people especially after pension age.…”

Section: Dimension 3: Eligibility For and Accessibility Of Flexible Retirement Transitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flexibilizing the Retirement Transition: Why, How and for Whom? Conceptual Clarifications, Institutional Arrangements and Potential Consequences

Scherger

2021

Front. Sociol.

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In many countries, flexibilizing the retirement transition is seen as an innovative policy which may help to solve some of the problems ageing societies face. The paper aims at specifying what is or can be meant by flexibilizing the retirement transition. The proposed conceptual framework contributes to a better understanding of the potential individual and structural consequences of flexibilized retirement transitions. It spells out four dimensions based on which measures of flexibilization can be differentiated, compared and examined more closely: aggregate vs. individual flexibilization (the latter resulting in gradual retirement), the temporal form and reference of flexibilizing measures, accessibility and eligibility, and financial risks and costs resulting from flexible transitions to retirement. These dimensions of comparison are exemplified by referring to existing measures of retirement flexibilization, in particular wage subsidies and partial pensions. Based on the conceptual argument, some of the potential consequences of flexibilized retirement transitions are discussed critically and in particular with regard to questions of social inequality. As these reflections show, the framework may also help to unpack the policy logic behind flexibilizing retirement transitions, and the very different interests it may serve.

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Section: Dimension 3: Eligibility For and Accessibility Of Flexible Retirement Transitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flexibilizing the Retirement Transition: Why, How and for Whom? Conceptual Clarifications, Institutional Arrangements and Potential Consequences

Scherger

2021

Front. Sociol.

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“…This would make it possible to avoid the latter's deterioration due to possible skill obsolesce and/or worsened physical and mental health. Examples of HR policies aiming to increase the human capital of older workers include: decrease of the workload, training programs, career planning, ergonomic measures and workplace design, part-time work, and demotion [5]. Still, some measures could have negative impacts for older workers, e.g., demotion could reduce work motivation [17].…”

Section: Human Resource Policiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is sensible to differentiate between sectors, since the workload and age-productivity profiles differ between sectors, and solutions should differ accordingly [5]. For instance, finding skilled workers in the industry sector might be difficult, so manufacturing companies could be more interested in extending workers' professional lives [28].…”

Section: Structural Characteristics Of the Companymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the company level is the key level where the extension of working life materializes or otherwise [4]. Indeed, companies might not want to implement measures to pursue this policy aim [5], may implement measures that strengthen or weaken this goal promoted at the macro level, or have no effect at all [6]. Furthermore, companies could influence the micro level by giving employees little leeway regarding their retirement [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies suggest that employers tend not to invest in older workers [5]. However, the organizational level remains largely unexplored [7], especially concerning the specific issue of the actual provision of opportunities for prolonging employees' working lives.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Employees’ Longer Working Lives in Europe: Drivers and Barriers in Companies

Principi

Bauknecht

Rosa

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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This paper identifies, within companies’ sectors of activity, predictors of Human Resource (HR) policies to extend working life (EWL) in light of increasing policy efforts at the European level to extend working life. Three types of EWL practices are investigated: the prevention of early retirement (i.e., encouraging employees to continue working until the legal retirement age); delay of retirement (i.e., encouraging employees to continue working beyond the legal retirement age); and, recruitment of employees who are already retired (i.e., unretirement). A sample of 4624 European organizations that was stratified by size and sector is analyzed in six countries. The main drivers for companies’ EWL practices are the implementation of measures for older workers to improve their performance, their working conditions, and to reduce costs. In industry, the qualities and skills of older workers could be more valued than in other sectors, while the adoption of EWL practices might be less affected by external economic and labor market factors in the public sector. Dutch and Italian employers may be less prone than others to extend working lives. These results underline the importance of raising employers’ awareness and increase their actions to extend employees’ working lives by adopting age management initiatives, especially in SMEs, and in the services and public sectors.

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