If you have picked up a newspaper or watched the TV news in New Zealand in the last few weeks you could not have failed to notice that the topic of age and retirement has been in the news. There has been everything from newspaper editors suggesting MP’s should retire if they are too old (I wonder how old the writer was?) to gloomy predictions about the cost of an older population and at what age people should qualify for superannuation.
Despite the encouraging stories we hear of how some older people continue to make great achievements there remains a blind spot in our thinking about age and work. A growing number of people want to continue in paid full time or part time work beyond 65, some for financial reasons and others because it is an important measure of their self esteem and gives them a sense of contribution.
So what has to happen for older workers to be valued in our communities?
Dr. Judith Davey’s research highlights ways that things can improve for older employees. For example, she talks about specific ways of managing older workers, such as having more flexible working conditions, the benefits of a good mix of younger and older employees, and the role of mentoring. She talks about the needs for a general shift in thinking to valuing and investing in experience, and to thinking about retention of older workers. She surveyed workplaces recently. In response to the question “Does your organisation currently have any specific planning strategies around ageing workforce participation?” only 5% said “yes”. There is clearly still a long way to go before business practice and government policies are fully supportive of Active Ageing through workforce participation.
Do you have a story to tell about your own experience of working as an older person?
If so, contact me at www.grownups.co.nz
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