The Repercussions of Covid-19 Pandemic on the Labour Force Participation of Older People: A Narrative Literature Review

Abstract

In 2002, the World Health Organisation (WHO) designed a framework for active ageing society which was implemented by most of the countries in the world to date. Furthermore, several studies have explained that the labour force participation of older people is one of the key factors in promoting the concept of active ageing (Punyakaew et al., 2019; Halaweh et al., 2018). Due to an unexpected disastrous COVID-19 pandemic emerged, there is a need to revisit the possible effects of this pandemic on the labour force participation of the older population. As of 25 November 2020, WHO reported that there are more than 59 million infected people and 1,397,139 deaths in 216 countries worldwide and the numbers are still rising at a rapid rate. Older people were identified as one of the most vulnerable groups to COVID-19 virus. It is expected that the current situation is less favourable to older people in Malaysia not only to their participation in the labour market, but in many aspects as well. This paper aims to provide a narrative literature review in an effort to understand how COVID-19 pandemic might have changed the decision of older people in participating in the labour force in Malaysia.

A Comparative Analysis of the Forecasted Mortality Rate under Normal Conditions and the COVID‐19 Excess Mortality Rate in Malaysia

“…In terms of post-pandemic support for Malaysia's ageing population, Jamaluddin et al [5] proposed the following steps: (i) reconsider whether the existing social security framework meets the needs of the population post-pandemic and in the light of an ageing population and (ii) reformation of the existing social security framework and a holistic execution plan to be contemplated in light of the projected economic outlook. Furthermore, Chung et al [6] emphasised the importance of assisting older adults in Malaysia in adapting to their new surroundings and participating actively in social and economic activities.…”