Too old to work?

Abstract

The article reviews Norwegian and international research on aging and work; causes of early exit,attitudes towards older workers, aging and work performance, and trends of changes in working life.Workers seem to have become too old to work at increasingly younger ages. Recent and futuredemographic changes call for initiatives to keep older workers in the work force. In many countriesfavourable early retirement arrangements are reversed in order to stop pulling older workers prematurelyout of work. The other main group of factors causing early exit, the push factors in the work environment,have until recently attracted less attention. Even if older workers in general seem to be no less effectivethan younger workers, employers prefer to recruit younger workers, and to dismiss older workers whenreducing the staff. However, employers’ cognitions of older workes’ performance is quite nuanced. Thereseems to be an emotional ambivalence where negative feelings are less openly expressed, still they seemto have a strong influence on decisions. Ways of influencing attitudes towards older workers arediscussed. Companies creating working conditions to stimulate, include and motivate middle-aged andolder workers may get an advantage in the market. This may even benefit workers of all ages.

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