Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
Working and ageing - Cedefop - Europa
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38<br />
<strong>Working</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>ageing</strong><br />
Guidance <strong>and</strong> counselling for mature learners<br />
such programmes. In Greece <strong>and</strong> especially in the UK introducing labour<br />
saving technologies is a much preferred option as well.<br />
Our conclusion that older workers are at the end of the line when it comes<br />
to recruitment of new staff is illustrated by the answers to the direct question<br />
posed to employers, which worker they would prefer to fill a vacancy: a<br />
newcomer to the labour market, a worker with six-year experience or a very<br />
experienced (<strong>and</strong> consequently somewhat older) worker with 25 years<br />
experience. Most choose the worker with six-year experience (Greece 58%;<br />
Spain 63%; the Netherl<strong>and</strong>s 75% ( 8 )). Only few prefer the very experienced<br />
c<strong>and</strong>idate (Greece 20%; Spain 10%; the Netherl<strong>and</strong>s 3%).<br />
To conclude, even though employers, especially in the UK <strong>and</strong> the<br />
Netherl<strong>and</strong>s, <strong>and</strong> to a lesser extent in Greece, Spain <strong>and</strong> Hungary, experience<br />
<strong>and</strong>/or expect labour-market shortages, they hesitate to consider older<br />
workers as a solution. Maybe we should add ʻyetʼ. This picture only paints the<br />
current state of affairs. When in the (nearby) future employers will actually<br />
experience the turn of the tide they may trim their sails to the wind.<br />
2.4.5. Initiatives to delay retirement<br />
In-depth qualitative case studies of strategies <strong>and</strong> tools implemented by the<br />
fair play for older workers project show that initiatives to invest in older workers<br />
pay off <strong>and</strong> can ease longer working lives. It is of utmost importance to realise<br />
that the decision-making process regarding retirement is not only influenced<br />
by health <strong>and</strong> finance but also by work content <strong>and</strong> working conditions, which<br />
affect how older workers feel <strong>and</strong> act <strong>and</strong> how processes of (dis)engagement<br />
at work take place. Maybe the real challenge lies in how to learn to value older<br />
workers <strong>and</strong> show older workers their value is recognised. In return this opens<br />
the way to maximise the value of older workersʼ contributions to the<br />
organisation.<br />
Undervaluing contributions of older workers to the organisation can<br />
decrease their participation in training programmes. It works from both sides.<br />
When older workers are seen as dispensable, employers are less likely to<br />
invest in training because they question whether investments will pay off.<br />
Older workersʼ morale will drop being pushed to the side <strong>and</strong> do not feel the<br />
need to participate in training programmes any longer. Further, case studies<br />
show that the willingness of older workers to take part in training programmes<br />
increases when needs, expectations, preferences <strong>and</strong> abilities of workers are<br />
( 8 ) This question was not asked in the UK <strong>and</strong> Hungary.