Employment continuation in old age: strategies of workplace adaptation

Іnna Kirnos
PhD in Public Administration, Associate Professor, Doctoral Student, Kremenchuk Mykhailo Ostrohradskyi National University, Ukraine, е-mail: innakirnos1976@gmail.com, ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6998-2132

Cite this article:

Кirnos, I. (2018). Employment continuation in old age: strategies of workplace adaptation. Ed. M. Zveryakov (ed.-in.-ch.) and others [Prodovzhennia roboty u pokhylomu vitsi: stratehii adaptatsii robochykh mists; za red.: М. I. Zveriakova (gol. red.) ta in.], Socio-economic research bulletin; Vìsnik socìal’no-ekonomìčnih doslìdžen’ (ISSN 2313-4569), Odessa National Economic University, Odessa, No. 2 (66), pp. 148‒161.

Abstract

Raising the retirement age and population ageing causes the need to continue work in old age, which demands adaptation of the content of work and workplace conditions as well as establishing the workplaces in accordance with the age-related specific needs of older workers. The aim of the article is systematization of the adaptation strategies of working conditions to the specific needs of older workers, which allows to prolong their remaining in the labour market and to support their workability. The age risks of the health and workability of the older workers are investigated in the article. It is revealed that the main sources of the load are physical and psychological pressure, work environment, time management and business processes organization. It is proved that the strategies for adapting workplaces to age-related changes and needs are physical rearrangement of workplaces in accordance with ergonomic principles, business processes reorganization, reduction of physically demanding tasks, flexible time schedules and decrease of the overtime hours and night shifts, job rotation, agreements between team members and managers. The workplace typology according to its suitability for work in old age is given. It is proved that the most suitable jobs for older workers are those ones that use an experience and potential of older people ‒ jobs in management, training and mentoring, coordination, customer service, accounting and document processing, child and elderly care. It is noted that work redesign and workplace rearrangement require special knowledge in physiology, ergonomics, occupational health and medicine. However, not all enterprises have relevant specialists and require external consultations. It is emphasized that the state support is a prerequisite for improving working conditions for the elderly. A model of public-private partnership is proposed as an efficient measure to raise employment rate of the elderly people.

Keywords

aging of labour force; older workers; content of work and working conditions; working capacity; age risks of the workplace.

JEL classification: J140; J280; DOI: https://doi.org/10.33987/vsed.2(66).2018.148-161

UD classification: 331.44+331.582.4

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