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Promoting Workability for Our Ageing Population

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The Palgrave Handbook of Age Diversity and Work

Abstract

Worldwide, the population is ageing. This welcome increase in longevity represents one of the most spectacular social gains of the last century. As the general population ages, so too does the working population. Older workers in employment benefit from, among other things, a broadened social network, enhanced independence, as well as a sense of empowerment and self-esteem. These benefits, in turn, have positive health effects, both physical and psychological. Age-related health problems, however, can restrict employment options for many older workers. Consequently, there are broad advantages to be realised by optimising health and introducing accommodations in the workplace to facilitate ongoing employment. As complexity is the hallmark of ageing, a key challenge is how to illuminate the need for equipoise in viewing the gains and losses of ageing for employers, and society as a whole. In this chapter, we describe the possible impact of ageing on work and employment from a health perspective, together with both medical and employer options to encourage older workers to remain in the labour market.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Royal College of Physicians, Dublin, Ireland

    Deirdre FitzGerald

  2. Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Alex Reid & Desmond O’Neill

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  1. Deirdre FitzGerald
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  2. Alex Reid
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  3. Desmond O’Neill
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Cranfield School of Management, Cranfield University, Bedford, United Kingdom

    Emma Parry

  2. Department of Personnel and Employment Relations, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland

    Jean McCarthy

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FitzGerald, D., Reid, A., O’Neill, D. (2017). Promoting Workability for Our Ageing Population. In: Parry, E., McCarthy, J. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Age Diversity and Work. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-46781-2_7

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