Aging and Work

The Centre for Aging Better has published its state of aging report.  Some key points in relation to work are

• The number of over 50s in the workplace has grown dramatically over the last 20 years
• The pandemic risks putting decades of older worker employment growth into reverse – and the older/younger worker employment gap has grown
• The employment rate of 50-64 year olds varies hugely across the country
• Older workers were more likely to be made redundant during the pandemic and – once redundant – less likely to be re-employed than younger workers
• The least well-off were the most likely to fall out of work during the pandemic
• Poor health is the main reason people aged 50-64 are out of work
• The poorest people are the most likely to have taken early retirement because of their own poor health, or that of others

• There are three times more women aged 50-64 working part-time than men
• Self-employment is more common among older people, but rates have fallen during the pandemic
• Poor-quality work is an issue for a large number of people in their fifties and sixties, especially poorer workers
• Workers aged 50 and over are the least likely to receive job-related training

Read more here.  They also have a free age-positive image library which includes work-related images such as the one above, find out more here.

Understanding older workers is a new report from CIPD. Its aim is to help employers better understand older workers, who are generally defined as those aged 50+. one in four workers are reaching the point at which a health condition limits the work they can do before they reach retirement age. Also the types of conditions that we experience change as we age. Of those with a health condition, there is a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease at older ages, as well as problems with the legs or feet, back or neck. Read more here.

The TUC recently published older workers after the pandemic: creating an inclusive labour market.  They consider that ensuring that older workers can participate in the labour market will require major changes in the workplace and making sure that those who are unable to continue working into their mid-sixties are not penalised as a result will require an overhaul of working and pension age benefits. Read more here.