1. None of us our getting any
younger. The average age of
the workforce will rise from 39
to 43 by 2030.
As employers we all want the best from our workforce; as workers we want the best
from our work place. There is a great need to see modern workplaces as the focus
for efforts to improve the physical and psychological wellbeing of workers. By taking
a long-term view, and by emphasising the role that ‘Good Work’ can play in
enhancing employee health, we can promote longevity of work life.
The major trends that are most likely to affect the health of the workforce in the
period to 2030 include the changing demography and economy of the UK,
developments in work and employment and the evolution of disease. These trends
are interlinked, overlap and are
driven by a diverse range of factors.
http://www.theworkfoundation.com/assets/docs/publ
ications/216_Bupa_report.pdf
By 2032 there will be
2.9 workers to every
pensioner as over
80s reach five million.
The health of UK workers will be
increasingly important to society as the
workforce will have the added burden
of supporting a growing retired
population.
One in six older job-seekers report
experiencing age discrimination while
obtaining a job interview or getting a
new job (DWP, 2002 ‘Age Diversity at
work – a practical guide for business
available from http://www.dwp.gov.uk/age-positive
A survey of Discrimination in the
Labour Market in the East Midlands
‘Companies often (geresearch, 2005) asked respondents
don’t like the idea aged between 45-74 years old about
barriers that they perceive exist for
of employing older people, but a recent experiment at a
people in this age group looking for a
BMW car plant in Germany suggests an ageing new job or career. 17.5% of
workforce is not necessarily a problem. The workers respondents stated barrier was that
participated in workshops in their own (unpaid) time people aged 45+ were likely to have
and came up with 70 load-easing changes: from a out of date skills or qualifications.
wooden floor that dampened pounding and allowed
easier turning, to cushioned shoes, tilted screens with bigger lettering… The original plastic
cushions of the chairs were promptly changed to leather once the workers pointed out that the
plastic caused sweating and chafing. The old can be as productive as the young, with some
workplace adjustments. Organisations can unlock innovation by helping
people figure it out for themselves — many are motivated and they don’t
want to be thrown on the scrap heap.’
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/the_way_we_live/article7026212.ece
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