Promoting an Age-Inclusive Workforce
Living, Learning and Earning Longer
All OECD economies are undergoing rapid population ageing, leading to more age diversity in workplaces than ever before as people are not only living longer but working longer. Greater diversity of experience, generations and skills gives employers an important opportunity to harness the talent that different age groups bring to the workplace and improve productivity and profitability. What can employers do to maximise the benefits of a multigenerational workforce? This report presents a business case for embracing greater age diversity at the workplace and debunks several myths about generational differences in work performance, attitudes and motivations towards work. It points to key employer policies and offers practical examples in three key areas to support and promote an age-inclusive workforce. This includes designing and putting in place all-age and life-stage policies covering the full span of workers careers through best practice in recruitment, retention and retirement, as well as the promotion of life-long learning and good health at work.
Making jobs attractive
Employers who respond positively to the changing needs of employees during their lifecycle and career stages improve their success in attracting, motivating and retaining workers. These workers will in turn exert effort on behalf of their company and play a full part in making it efficient and productive. While the ways that employers use to better understand and respond to changing employee needs will differ between countries and sectors, the principles underpinning them are likely to have wide applicability to employees of all ages and in all occupations. This chapter review two key aspects of work: work-life balance and workforce health and well-being – which can provide an attractive environment for employees to thrive and be engaged and productive.
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