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 />
Career-end management systems must consider that <strong>ageing</strong> workers<br />
usually see things differently from when they were young: they may have<br />
poorer health, they have a shorter professional view <strong>and</strong> may need to<br />
reorganise their priorities in <strong>and</strong> outside work. To set up a new vocational<br />
project during this life period means to be able to take all these dimensions<br />
into account.<br />
The final recommendation focuses on attention to be paid to the period just<br />
prior to embarking on a programme, when designing it. Companies have to<br />
consider <strong>ageing</strong> workersʼ specific issues. For example, when asking <strong>ageing</strong><br />
workers to pass on their knowledge, it must be done in a way from which they<br />
will benefit. If they do not see any advantage or if they fear being made<br />
redundant, or if they feel it is going to be much work <strong>and</strong> they are already tired<br />
of the job, they will not commit to the system.<br />
In the call centre case, some <strong>ageing</strong> workers who were offered other jobs<br />
thought that it not worth the effort, because the new job did not make sense<br />
to them, <strong>and</strong> they did not have much time left in their professional lives.<br />
Older workersʼ commitment may be a delicate matter, because of<br />
substantial fears, lack of incentive, or difficulties to appreciate the benefits of<br />
further investment in their careers. These issues have to be fully discussed<br />
before committing to a system, which requires devoting some time to this step.<br />
It could involve individual monitoring, but in some cases, it appears that a<br />
more collective approach can also help. For instance, group information<br />
sessions, run by a consultant, can reassure colleagues by providing an<br />
interactive platform to express common fears <strong>and</strong> defuse them, which is very<br />
effective in removing a key barrier to career development later in life.<br />
References<br />
Barbier, JM. (1992). La recherche de nouvelles formes de formation par et<br />
dans les situations de travail [Search for new forms of training by <strong>and</strong> at<br />
work]. Éducation permanente, No 112, p. 125-146.<br />
Bug<strong>and</strong>, L. et al. (2009a). Les bonnes pratiques des entreprises en matière<br />
de maintien et de retour en activité professionnelle des seniors [Good<br />
corporate practices in maintaining <strong>and</strong> returning to professional activity<br />
of older workers]. Lyon: ANACT (Rapport dʼétude [Study report]).<br />
Bug<strong>and</strong>, L. et al. (2009b). Maintien et retour en activité professionnelle des<br />
seniors, guide pour lʼaction [Maintaining <strong>and</strong> returning to professional<br />
activity of older workers. Guide to action]. Lyon: ANACT.