Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
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<strong>Working</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>ageing</strong><br />
Guidance <strong>and</strong> counselling for mature learners<br />
of models contributing to development of recommendations to address the<br />
situation of an <strong>ageing</strong> workforce considering the needs of older workers.<br />
Reference is made to a cross section of European developments. The desk<br />
search of literature employed a key word approach, including the terms older<br />
workers, <strong>ageing</strong> workforce, baby-boomers, lifelong learning, policies on<br />
employment of older workers, exit age from workforce, opportunities for<br />
education <strong>and</strong> training <strong>and</strong> with focus on a selection of European countries.<br />
8.2. A snapshot of older workers <strong>and</strong> work<br />
ʻOlderʼ is an adjective used to describe people over 50, over 55, or older. The<br />
years of age attached to the ʻolderʼ category vary. Ages for retirement vary<br />
from country to country, ages to obtain State pensions where they exist, vary.<br />
Frequently, there is a lower age for women, a higher age for men. These<br />
workers, the baby-boomers, are causing concerns. Gielen (2009, citing<br />
OECD, 2004) reports that for the UK by 2050 the 65 plus age group will form<br />
47% compared to the total working age population percentage. This is<br />
compared with 27% in 2003. It is such demographic predictions that underline<br />
the concerns for discussing the older worker, the <strong>ageing</strong> worker.<br />
Naegele <strong>and</strong> Walker (2011) note that people of 50 years <strong>and</strong> over represent<br />
one in five of the workforce <strong>and</strong> this level of participation will increase. They<br />
report Sweden, Denmark <strong>and</strong> the UK as having the highest employment rates<br />
of older persons.<br />
Given such trends <strong>and</strong> the impact of the global financial crisis, the European<br />
Commission goal to increase employment rates considerably has not been<br />
achieved.<br />
ʻOne of the five EU targets of Europe 2020 strategy is to raise the<br />
employment rate to 75% by 2020. Current indications are that the EU will fall<br />
short of this target by 2-2.4% – a shortfall that can be made up through<br />
adoption of measures to create jobs <strong>and</strong> increase labour participation. Given<br />
the <strong>ageing</strong> EU population <strong>and</strong> relatively low use of labour compared to other<br />
parts of the world reforms are needed to promote skills <strong>and</strong> create incentives<br />
to workʼ (European Commission, 2011a, p. 5).<br />
Strategies recommended to support achievement of the 75% goal are<br />
multipronged, advocating reforms to encourage inclusion of all groups in work,<br />
<strong>and</strong> including flexible work arrangements, child care, increasing the retirement<br />
age, taxation <strong>and</strong> pensions (European Commission, 2011a). Employment of<br />
women, young <strong>and</strong> older workers will need to be increased. These strategies