On the scrap‐heap at 45: The human impact of mature‐aged unemployment

Abstract

This paper reports on a qualitative study conducted in Adelaide, South Australia into the impact of mature‐aged unemployment and under‐employment on the individual. Data were collected by means of six individual and group interviews with a total of 27 participants (17 men and 10 women). The participants were asked about the impact on their quality of life, their expectations for the future and their short‐term and long‐term financial situation. The results suggest that there is a substantial ‘lost generation’ of mature‐aged unemployed people who are characterized by shrinking horizons and impaired quality of life. The participants expressed frustration at being unable to contribute to society and support their own adult children. Inability to use their skills and talents, with consequent skill depreciation, can lead to what we label the ‘peg‐down phenomenon’, an intermediate step between becoming unemployed and entering the ranks of the discouraged job‐seekers that ultimately leads to a premature exit from the workforce. This cohort is different from other age groups of unemployed people because of the unique developmental characteristics of middle‐aged people, compounded by financial and caring demands from both the younger and older generations. The paper concludes with policy recommendations, including expanding social inclusion policies to address the needs of this cohort and early intervention with more focused job‐specific training.

Job Loss in a Group of Older Canadian Workers: Challenges in the Sustainable Labour Market Reintegration Process

“…Many of these workers have the impression they are no longer useful to a community that does not require their skills [92]. Moreover, the erosion of their network of former work colleagues and the financial precariousness associated with unemployment are likely to marginalize those who are already most isolated [66,70].…”

“…Indeed, while only 12 of the participants (19%) were unemployed at the end of the study (process 1), a large proportion of those who returned to the labour market (40%, process 2) were faced with precarious employment that was particularly difficult to handle. Hurt not only at the occupational and financial level but also at the psychosocial level, these older workers expressed, like those who were unemployed, a psychological malaise and a feeling of a "loss of self" [11,89], a social uselessness [92]. These results are worthy of researchers' and practitioners' attention given that a greater number of workers now navigate in career paths marked by precarious employment and come with more complex guidance needs [4][5][6][7][8][9]90,105,120].…”

“…Our data illustrates the tension between a social identity for oneself and for others, as well as the destabilization that this tension can lead to when the gap between these two dimensions of social identity becomes too large [34,79,87]. Moreover, taking into account the medium-term effects of the reintegration on the workers' identity, these results add to the scientific assessment of the way in which unemployment and occupational downgrading can generate a feeling of social uselessness in seniors and even marginalization (e.g., [11,91,92]). …”

Age Discrimination Legislation in the U.K.: A Comparative and Gerontological Analysis

“…Ranzijn et al (2006) in an interview study with older adults seeking work or a change of work uncovered among their respondents a loss of self-worth, reduced quality of life, narrowed horizons, inability to use talents, detrimental effects on family relationships, and concerns about the future. Moreover, the older adults feared they were undergoing "skill atrophy,"-both a progressive decline in their abilities objectively as well as a subjective perception by potential employers that their competence had declined.…”

L’expérience du chômage chez les travailleurs seniors : de la crise identitaire à la réflexion sur l’avenir

“…14 Ensuite, les chômeurs seniors peuvent souffrir d'un sentiment d'inutilité sociale, car ils n'ont plus de lieu dans lequel valoriser les compétences et l'expérience accumulées sur le marché du travail (Ranzijn et al, 2006 (Huberman & Miles, 1991 ;Poisson, 1991). Elle s'inspire de la procédure par étapes successives proposée par L'Écuyer (1990).…”