Activating Older Workers: Policies Versus Opinions and Expectations

Abstract

The main aim of the article is to confront older-worker oriented policies, as well as reforms in pension systems in Europe, with individual preferences and expectations towards transition to retirement, economic activity after retirement and governmental policies aimed at making pension systems sustainable. This comparative analysis is supplemented with experts’ views on active ageing (obtained in the Delphi study). Recent trends in labour force participation of persons aged 55+ in Europe are examined. Special emphasis is placed on retirement policies and on pension system reforms. Comparative analyses of individuals’ opinions on retirement age, economic activity of the elderly and transition to retirement, as well as on changes in the pension system, are carried out using descriptive methods and logistic regression models in which basic characteristics of respondents such as age, sex and education were taken into account. Respondents’ expectations and preferences are compared both with experts’ views, and with policies implemented in the countries under study.