The Older Worker: Identifying a Critical Research Agenda

Abstract

The roles that older workers play in labour markets has received a great deal of policy and academic scrutiny in response to economic crises and demographic change. As a starting point, this focus has paradoxically resulted in insufficient attention to older workers themselves. The article is thus concerned with refocusing the agenda for research onto the older worker. Building on an extensive literature review, four gaps in knowledge are identified: who might be researched; what the focus of that research might be; the role of theory informing the research; and how the research might be conducted. The article identifies a particular need for research on ‘work’ as opposed to ‘retirement’ and how the changing nature of work may influence future patterns of later life labour market engagement and retirement. It is argued that better public policy will result from more critical and socially embedded research that recognises the heterogeneity of ‘older workers’ and their motivations.

‘Fuller’ or ‘extended’ working lives? Critical perspectives on changing transitions from work to retirement

“…Third, the category ‘older worker’, whilst useful in policy terms, also obscures gender, ethnic, class and industrial divisions affecting people grouped in the 50+ age category ( see also Taylor et al 2016). Thus, taking gender as an example, in the case of men, EWL policies may be relevant for some countries, less for others: Sweden, for example, may have reached ‘saturation’ point with labour-force participation in 2015 of 82 per cent for men aged 55–64; the UK has seen a modest expansion in labour-force participation: rising from 65 per cent for men aged 55–64 in 2005 to 71 per cent in 2015 (Eurostat 2015).…”

Age management in the workplace: manager and older worker accounts of policy and practice

“…The impact of an ageing population on the workplace is a concern for many governments internationally (Keese, 2006). Since the mid-1990s, the policy situation has moved from one where older workers were encouraged to exit the labour market in order to make way for younger workers to one where continued labour market participation is encouraged (Phillipson, 2013 a , 2013 b ; Loretto and Vickerstaff, 2015; Phillipson et al ., 2016; Taylor and Earl, 2016; Taylor et al ., 2016). Thus, increasing numbers of older workers are remaining in work (Aliaj et al ., 2016).…”

Bridging the grey divide: an international perspective on the ageing workforce and longer working lives

“…Seike and colleagues (2011: 46) state that to cope with an ageing population 'it is extremely important for us to promote the employment of older people'. While it is far from a new topic in government intervention and in academic enquiry (Taylor et al 2016), the sheer volume of policy effort and research devoted to issues of workforce ageing in the last two decades is noteworthy. It is indicative of concern among policy makers across ageing nations as to the sustainability of current social welfare systems as vast numbers of the so-called 'baby-boomers' approach retirement.…”

“…This is only part of the story, however, as much of this increase has been the consequence of a pronounced long-term increase in rates of women's employment among the developed nations, including those at older ages. Meanwhile, men's recent pattern of labour force participation has shown an upward trend, although the gradient of the increase has been flatter than that for women, and was preceded by sharp declines in many cases (Taylor et al 2016). Thus, it is important to examine the intersection of age with a range of other factors in considering issues of 'age management' (Loretto & Vickerstaff 2015).…”

“…Moreover, while the primary goal of this special issue of the Australian Journal of Social Issues is to elucidate policy efforts underway in the work sphere, in the background are questions about those who cannot or do not wish to participate in this way. A subject that is perhaps lacking in present policy debate in Australia is what growing older means for those aged in their 50s or 60s who, due to a range of factors, may struggle to maintain meaningful labour force attachment, for instance, if employed in insecure jobs (Seike et al 2011;Taylor et al 2016). As a consequence, a recent Australian Government proposal to work until 70 (Department of Treasury 2014) may ring hollow to many older people.…”