Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
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208<br />
<strong>Working</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>ageing</strong><br />
Guidance <strong>and</strong> counselling for mature learners<br />
11.3. Key findings<br />
Forty companiesʼ practices were examined <strong>and</strong> described, with respect to:<br />
(a) areas of action covered <strong>and</strong> combination thereof, in accordance with their<br />
primary focus (health, skills or commitment);<br />
(b) types of practices, depending on whether they were more or less geared<br />
at the individual or/<strong>and</strong> the environment <strong>and</strong> depending on whether they<br />
were guided more by action in the field of human resources <strong>and</strong>/or the<br />
field of task accomplishment conditions;<br />
(c) action targets (individual versus group, seniors versus all ages);<br />
(d) action timeframes, depending on whether these were preventive <strong>and</strong>/or<br />
remedial;<br />
(e) implementation procedures (scope of initiative, types of players involved).<br />
Based on the analysis, the first success factor identified in the initiatives<br />
taken appears to be the degree to which they are connected with the<br />
organisationsʼ performance objectives. In this sense, the initial issue identified<br />
by companies does not necessarily pertain to the senior age group, even<br />
though features specific to that population can be uncovered along the way.<br />
Therefore, at the outset, the question is not so much determining how to keep<br />
seniors active in the workplace as underst<strong>and</strong>ing how seniors came to appear<br />
a beneficial resource – or a problem – for companies, as they strive towards<br />
their objectives.<br />
The following two main models were identified:<br />
(a) defensive thinking (senior employment maintenance is approached as a<br />
problem): the challenge is to adapt skills or lower the costs arising from a<br />
decline in health indicators);<br />
(b) offensive thinking: (senior employment maintenance is a prerequisite to<br />
durability): the challenge is to retain skills, attract new resources <strong>and</strong> build<br />
loyalty in them.<br />
Regardless of the question set out initially, many companies carried out<br />
(internally, or with assistance of an outside party) a diagnostic review prior to<br />
taking action. This review was used to set the process in motion, both by<br />
bringing out <strong>and</strong> spreading knowledge about the issues at stake in a senior<br />
employment plan, <strong>and</strong> by better delineating the companyʼs particular situation<br />
<strong>and</strong> paving the way for mobilisation. This stage proved particularly important<br />
when creative action was to be taken, in which company members – <strong>and</strong>,<br />
first <strong>and</strong> foremost, members of management – were not accustomed to<br />
playing a part.