The Ageing Workforce: Policy Dilemmas and Choices

Gahan, Peter; Harbridge, Raymond; Healy, Joshua; Williams, Ruth

doi:10.1111/1467-8500.12232

Cited by 18 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Previous World Health Organization campaigns emphasising ‘active ageing’, and more recent ones promoting the Decade of Healthy Ageing (2020–2030), provide useful positive frameworks for promoting such diversity, sharing expertise, and reducing ageism [ 56 ]. Providing encouragement and opportunities for older workers to be retained in the Australian workforce will also require a range of interconnected policy adjustments [ 57 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Employment and retirement impacts on health and wellbeing among a sample of rural Australians

et al. 2021

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Background In Australia, it is projected that one in four individuals will be at the nominal retirement age of 65 or over by 2056; this effect is expected to be especially pronounced in rural areas. Previous findings on the effects of retirement on wellbeing have been mixed. The present study explores the effects of employment and retirement on health and wellbeing among a sample of rural Australians. Methods Australian Rural Mental Health Study participants who were aged 45 or over (N = 2013) were included in a series of analyses to compare the health and wellbeing of individuals with differing employment and retirement circumstances. Self-reported outcome variables included perceived physical health and everyday functioning, financial wellbeing, mental health, relationships, and satisfaction with life. Results Across the outcomes, participants who were employed or retired generally reported better health and wellbeing than those not in the workforce. Retired participants rated more highly than employed participants on mental health, relationships, and satisfaction with life. There was also a short-term benefit for perceived financial status for retired participants compared to employed participants, but this effect diminished over time. Conclusions While retirement is a significant life transition that may affect multiple facets of an individual’s life, the direction and magnitude of these effects vary depending on the retirement context, namely the pre-retirement and concurrent circumstances within which an individual is retiring. Personal perceptions of status changes may also contribute to an individual’s wellbeing more so than objective factors such as income. Policies that promote rural work/retirement opportunities and diversity and address rural disadvantage are needed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Employment and retirement impacts on health and wellbeing among a sample of rural Australians

et al. 2021

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“…Broadly, policies have followed both a "carrot and stick" approach, e.g. both facilitating more flexibility in access to superannuation savings while also lifting the qualifying age for the age pension from 65 to 67, leading up to 2023 (Gahan et al, 2017). On the "demand side", the government has made available support for employers to hire older workers who have been in receipt of income support (including the age pension).…”

Section: The Policy and Employer Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Older healthcare workers' satisfaction: managing the interaction of age, job security expectations and autonomy

Rice

Martin

Fieger

et al. 2021

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PurposeDemographic changes involving a worldwide ageing population and later retirements produce a gradual ageing of the workforce and major concerns about how ageing may influence the workplace. This paper aims to provide evidence relating to older workers in healthcare settings in Australia.Design/methodology/approachUsing a secondary quantitative dataset, the authors sub-sampled a group of workers in the healthcare sector. We used linear regression arrangement with hypotheses focused on the assessment of the significance of interaction or moderation effects relating to job characteristics and age on employee satisfaction.FindingsThe authors note that older workers' job satisfaction is negatively influenced by poor perceptions of job security and autonomy in how their work is carried out. Ensuring that older workers stay in the healthcare workforce is imperative as the work force ages. This paper shows that managing their job security and offering them work autonomy enhance their job satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsThe use of a secondary and cross-sectional dataset has some limitations relating to endogeneity, although these have been managed and assessed. The paper is based on a representative sample of Australian workers, and is thus generalisable within the Australian context, and will be informative elsewhere.Practical implicationsThe focus on elements of flexibility for older workers (enhanced autonomy) and clearer job security elements is of practical relevance in the management of older workers.Social implicationsAs the overall population ages, supporting older workers in their careers will be of increasing importance. In sectors with a disproportionate share of older workers, like health care, this imperative will come sooner, and the benefits of getting arrangements right be will higher.Originality/valueNo other paper has explored these specific relationships empirically that the authors are aware of. This work is original in terms of its assessment of questions of what second-order effects exist in predicting employee satisfaction among older workers.

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“…The engineering sector should prepare for the retention of older workers resulting in different types of HRM practices, including access to flexible working arrangements that facilitate different work-life balance options to suit this demographic. Equally, senior engineers are more likely to request such arrangements as incentives to continue working and enabling transitioning to retirement (Gahan et al 2016). Effective mentorship and knowledge transfer in the engineering workplace is crucial to producing competent engineers.…”

Section: Practical Implications and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The future of the ageing workforce in engineering: relics or resources?

Oppert

O’Keeffe

2019

Australian Journal of Multi-Disciplinary Engineering

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Retaining older workers in productive employment is forecast to be a major issue as rapid changes, such as digitalisation and artificial intelligence, will transform how many roles are performed. Two such issues faced by older workers are normal age-related cognitive decline that affects reasoning and problem solving, and workplace stereotyping based on their age. Qualified engineers (n=25, range 24-77 years) participated in a non-verbal multiple-choice abstract reasoning test to assess problem solving ability, then individually interviewed on their perceptions of retaining older engineers in the workplace. The study finds all engineers scored similarly, however, the task revealed that older engineers faced with the same novel problem take significantly longer to solve than their younger counterparts. This finding is countered with evidence that younger engineers rely on older engineers' experience and knowledge for training and mentoring. This study highlights the benefits and resources that older engineers bring to the workplace.

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The Ageing Workforce: Policy Dilemmas and Choices

Cited by 18 publications

References 40 publications

Employment and retirement impacts on health and wellbeing among a sample of rural Australians

Employment and retirement impacts on health and wellbeing among a sample of rural Australians

Older healthcare workers' satisfaction: managing the interaction of age, job security expectations and autonomy

The future of the ageing workforce in engineering: relics or resources?

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