©2006 Willem Goedhard, Middelburg Age Management Nijmegen 13 december 2006 Prof. Willem J.A. Goedhard, MD, PhD

©2006 Willem Goedhard, Middelburg

Age Management

• Nijmegen 13 december 2006

• Prof. Willem J.A. Goedhard, MD, PhD



Age Management: a new concept

• Wat is Age Management?

• Waarom nodig?

• Age Management in Nederland

• Ontwikkelingen in de Arbozorg in de toekomst

• Occupational Gerontology


Waarom Age Management?

• EU:[ Barcelona 2002,Stockholm 2001]

• In 2010:

• > 50% van de 55-64 in arbeidsproces

• Pensioenleeftijd met 5 jaar omhoog


De toekomst


Langer werken?

• Hoeveel langer??

• Niet eenvoudig te beantwoorden:

• Hangt o.a. af van goede bedrijfsgezondheidszorg


122 years


Wat is Age Management?

• Age Management means managing the Work Ability of personnel and the success of the enterprise.

• Everyday management from the viewpoint of the life course and resources of people whether the changes are caused by the aging process or by age-associated factors

©2006 Juhani Ilmarinen, Helsinki

AGE MANAGEMENTAGE MANAGEMENT

1. NATIONAL LEVEL1. NATIONAL LEVEL

- Employment policy- Education policy- Retirement policy- Social protection- Health services

2. COMPANY LEVEL2. COMPANY LEVEL

- Training of managers and supervisors- Age strategy- Age-adjusted workplaces- Promotion of work ability- Prevention of age discrimination


Pekka Himanen (born 1973) is a Finnish philosopher

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosopher

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:PekkaHimanen.jpg


Finland als kennisbasis?

• An information society is a society in which the creation, distribution and manipulation of information is a significant economic and cultural activity. The knowledge economy is its economic counterpart whereby wealth is created through the economic exploitation of understanding.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_economy




Recommendations

Herman Wijffels (World Bank Institute):

Greying of the society? The main challenge is to maintain the vitality of the modern society; “we should invest in vitality”: This implies: No age limits in education (university)

[ 2nd Jan Brouwer Conference , Haarlem, 18January 2006]


Age Management Toolbox

• 3 elements:• The attitude of the supervisor towards

aging workers is the key element:• “connecting people”- • Connecting “employer – aging

employee”[Nokia] through promotion of work ability

• E.g. participatory ergonomics


What Supervisors should know about ageing?

Age structure of the company today and in the future Dependency ratios Modern concept of work ability Work ability and employability Work ability and economics Ageing and productivity


Aging and Work

• Individual aging worker:

• Objectives should be:

• Health promotion

• Optimum functional capacity

• Work ability promotion

• Skills & knowledge training


Aging and health Aging and mental growth Aging and functional capacities Aging and learning Regulation of work load Age-management Tool-box Prevention of age discrimination

What Supervisors should know about ageing?


Aging and Work

• The company with aging workers

• objectives:

• Good Age management

• Lowering costs of sick leave / absenteeism

• Improvement of productivity


Aging and Work

• Society objectives:

• Less age discrimination

• Decrease of health costs

• Longer worklives

• Later pension ages



• Bevolkingsontwikkeling, Europa

• 2005- 457 million

• 2050 – 454 million

• 2010-2050: working population:

• -/- 48 m (=-16%)

• Dependency ratio:

• 2010: 4:1, 2050 2:1

• Source: FIOH 2006



Aansporingen

werknemers (langer doorwerken)

Werkgevers Langer in dienst houden en ouderen in dienst nemen:

Investeren in Arbeidsgeschiktheid

Arbeidsomstandigheden aanpassen (nb: gezondheid en veiligheid bevorderen)

Aanpassen Arbeidsbelasting

©2005 Blokland, TNO (Human Resource Management)

Ontwikkelingsgang

Vergrijzing Reorganisatieproblemen

Ouderenbeleid Outplacementbeleid

Leeftijdsbewust

personeelsbeleid

Employabilitybeleid

Inzetbaarheidsbeleid


Work after 60: Reasons and Motives

Greying of the population:– Dependency ratio increases– [65/(20-64)x 100%]

EU policy (Barcelona 2002):

Pension Age at 65 years in 2010

[N.B. in Netherlands at approx. 61 years]


Positieve indicatoren Veroudering van de bevolking is

goed nieuws,

• Mensen leven langer, in redelijk goede gezondheid

• Werkgelegenheid op redelijk peil• Werkeloosheid daalt• Tijd voor hervormingen op arbeidsmarkt• (o.a. pensioenen, langer doorwerken,

beleid in bedrijven t.a.v. oudere werknemers)



Disabled Workers and Age

Disabled Workers in the Netherlands:

• 15-44 years: 30%

• 45-64 years: 70%

Causes of Disablement (Chronic Disorders):psychosocial stress (depressive)

disorders; (35%)musculoskeletal diseases (32%) general and endocrine diseases (13%)


Determinants of the Working Life

• Employment• ---------------------• Employability• ---------------------• Work Ability• ---------------------• Aging Process• Physical Capacity• Chronic Diseases• Job Demands• Working Environment• Ergonomics• Work-stresses


“Older Worker”



The House of Work Ability (J. Ilmarinen©)

Metaphore of the concept of Work Ability


Work AbilityWork Ability

ValuesAttitudes Motivation

CompetenceKnowledge Skills

HealthFunctional Capacities

Work

Family

Society

Relatives,friends

Environment Content and DemandsCommunity and Organisation Management and Leadership



Aging

• Aging (semantics)• Webster: To grow old or show signs of growing

old• (gerontology: the scientific study of the process

of aging and of the problems of aged(?) people); (NIA, 1978: older/senior 55-64; elderly 65-74; aged 75-84; very aged 85+).

• Occupational Gerontology: Older Employee: 45-64 years

• Elderly Employee: 65+ years


Aging?


• Aging is the accumulation of changes in the cells and tissues that increase the risk of death (Harman, 1994).

• Biological Aging (senescing): ‘The process of change in the organism, which over time lowers the probability of survival and reduces the physiological capacity for self-regulation, repair and adaptation to environmental demands’ (Birren and Zarit, 1985)

• Primary and Secondary Aging (Busse,1969, Perlmutter,1985

• Primary Aging: the result of inherited biological processes that are time-dependent (criteria of Strehler: cumulative, universal, progressive, intrinsic,


• Rate of Aging: Biological Age vs. Chronological Age: Needed: a ‘biomarker’ of aging. 1969: Test battery by A.Comfort) comprised 53 measures to be performed!

• ± 1985: telomeres (bases at the ends of chromosomes)

• Cell replication: part of the telomere is lost (telomere shortening).


• Chromosomal Instability, leading to cell aging and death.

• Individual rate of aging: influenced by genotype, environment, and gene-environment interactions.


Aging of the workforce

Is aging of the workforce a problem?

(J-F.Caillard, former President of ICOH, 1994) “….the survival of greater numbers of people into old age has great consequences for the health of the labour force, as many remain in employment with the deficiencies and disabilities that accompany ageing”.


60+ at work in the Netherlands

• Employment Rate and age

• Work after 60: Reasons and Motives

• Work after 60: Obstacles

• Incentives to continue working after 60

• Lengthening the working life: what should be done?


Prognosis Workforce Netherlands(WRR, 1995)

1990 1995 2020

Median age 35yrs 39yrs 29-40yrs

Labor participation

66% 71% 75%

15-29jr

50-64 yr

36%

14%

26%

19%

26%

27%


Work after 60: Reasons and Motives [dependency ratio, %]

1900 1940 1980 2005 2010 2020 2040

12.1 12.5 20.1 22.8 24.6 32.2 44.4



• Employment Rate and age






Employment Rate and age(key figures)

Men

X 1.000

Women

X 1.000

All

X 1.000

Labour Participation (%)

Population 8.066 8.240 16.306

Population

60-64 yrs

414 409 823

Working Population

60-64 yrs

114 44 158 19.5%


Employment Rate and ageage-group 55-64 yrs: changes in last decade

Industry Commercial services

1996 90.000

(=100%)

125.000

2000 133% 145%

2004 188% 185%



At work in:

men Labour participation

women Labour participation

1996 60.000 18% 18.000 5%

2000 87.000 24% 26.000 7%

2004 114.000 28% 44.000 11%



Industry Commercial services

1996 90.000

(=100%)

125.000

2000 133% 145%

2004 188% 185%


Labour participation rate among over-50s


60+ at work in the Netherlands Employment Rate and age

Labour market

Between 1995 and 2005 we observed:

• Decrease of young - middle-aged workers

• Increase of older workers



Employment Rate and age






Working population (men x 1000)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

age

1996 mean 1996-2004



0

100

200

300

400

500

600

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

age

1996 2004



30-34 year-oldy = -5,0667x + 10669

R2 = 0,4442

60-64 year-oldy = 6,1x - 12151

R2 = 0,984

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

year



Employment Rate and ageWork after 60: Reasons and Motives





Work after 60: Obstacles

• Employees• Majority is in favour of early retirement

• Employers• Majority is indifferent or opposed to retirement of

employees at 65 years

Source: van Dalen en Henkens, NIDI (2003)


Work after 60: Obstacles(opinion of employees)

SES status Low

(mean age)

high

(mean age)

able to work until 61.6 years 65 years

expect to work 62.4 62.3

want to work 58.5 59.4


Work until 65?(opinion of employers, n=1054)

wenselijk On-

verschillig

ongewenst

Industry 25% 41% 34%

Commercial services

20% 42% 38%

Health care 20% 44% 36%

Civil service 17% 55% 28%



Other important aspects are:

• Sick leave and age

• Disablement pensions and age



sick leave (%)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

age

zv%2002

zv%2003



sick leave frequency / year

0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1

1,2

1,4

1,6

1,8

2

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

age

zvfr-2002

zvfr-2003



sick leave 2003 (days / year)

0

5

10

15

20

25

15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64

age-group



disablement act beneficiairies (x1000)

y = 4,3961x - 77,667

R2 = 0,9629

0

50

100

150

200

250

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

age

wao1998

wao2000

wao2002

wao2004

Lineair (wao2004)



Employment Rate and ageWork after 60: Reasons and MotivesWork after 60: Obstacles




Incentives to continue working after 60

National Government (ministry of social affairs):

Taskforce Ouderen en Arbeid (‘Aging and Work’) 2001-2003, research / recommendations

Grijs Werkt (‘Grey at work’) 2004-2007, stimulating employers and employees



Change in culture and attitude (regarding workers > 55 years) are necessary:

• Early retirement or disablement are not the end-points

• Continuation of employment until 65

• Introduction of Age-discrimination act (2004)



Policies aimed at:

Job adaptations

Continued education / training



Employability

Aging of the workforce Age Management Age-conscious HRM



Aspects of Age-conscious HR management:• Job rotation• Investment in older workers (training)

Opinions about older workers:– Low productivity and high salaries– time of return of investment: too short

• Career planning• Individual Health management

– Fitness– Nutrition



Employment Rate and ageWork after 60: Reasons and MotivesWork after 60: ObstaclesIncentives to continue working after 60



Aging of the Workforce in the Netherlands

It is not considered a threat or a disaster.

It is considered a challenge for:

• The government

• Employers / organisations

• HR Managers

• Employees / trade unions

• Occupational Health Services


Aging of the Workforce in the Netherlands

What are the Challenges?

What are possible Solutions?

What can be the Perspectives?


Challenges

• Maintenance of employability and work ability of older workers

• Prevention of diseases and disability.• Combating age-discrimination.

How? Studies on the inter-actions of Aging and Work age-management legislation aimed at the protection of older

workers


AGE-Management

• Older harbour-workers should be allowed to adjust their work speed (Jan Baart, Univ. of Rotterdam, 1973)

• Ageing men and women should have the possibility to regulate their own work, to alter and adjust the order of work tasks, work methods and work speed (Juhani Ilmarinen, FIOH, Helsinki, 1999)


Inter-actions of Aging and Work

Aging and Work

Occupational Health of Aging Workers

Occupational Gerontology

Fundamental Gerontology



Genetics Work Environment

Rate of Aging

Development of Chronic Diseases Decreased work ability / employability



= Human Gerontology during the working life

At 30 years: start of physiological decline

• Musculoskeletal functions

• Cardiovascular / pulmonary functions (X)



(X) Changes in Physiological functions with Age:

• pulmonary function,

• oxygen uptake capacity (VO2max)

• cardiac output

[physical exercise can slow down the decrease of VO2max]




At 50 years: start of psychosocial decline (especially at work)

• Increased vulnerability to Work Stress (X)

• Reduction in training and development • Decreased employability• Age-discrimination


(X) Perceived stress and Age


Baroreflex function: Change in heart rate upon standing-up from supine position




In summary:

• Perception of Work Stress increases with age

• Baroreflex function decreases with age

• Baroreflex function is possibly affected by work stress

©2006 Willem Goedhard, Middelburg Copyright ©2004 by the National Academy of Sciences

Epel, Elissa S. et al. (2004) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 101, 17312-17315

Fig. 1. Scatter plots of chronicity of stress by telomere length in caregivers and perceived stress scores by telomere length






• Increased vulnerability to Work Stress

• Reduction in training and development

• Decreased employability

• Age-discrimination


Utility value and learning value in relation to age (10 large scale industries)

A study by Boerlijst and van der Heijden (1996)

Age-range (years)

40-46 47-52 53+

Utility value (value of function)

75% 70% 55%

Learning value

35% 45% 30%

Job mobility medium low Very low





• Increased vulnerability to Work Stress

• Reduction in training and development

• Decreased employability

• Age-discrimination



Employers about Older Workers:

“To retain or to retire, that’s the question!”

If not employed

Preconceived negative ideas

If employed:

Positive ideas cont.



Benefits of Older employees:(Confederation of British Industry; l.c. Collis and

Mallier, 2000)

• Fewer periods of absenteeism

• Productivity does not fall with age

• Responding well to training

• Can cope with changes


Occupational Health Surveillance of older employees

Aging:• Promotion of Age-consciousness• Periodic health checks

Age-associated disordersWork-associated disordersAssessment of functional capacity

• Age-conscious personel policyReduction of working hoursWork breaks


Occupational Health Surveillance of older employees

Prevention of DisablementMaintenance of Work Ability


Prevention of DisablementStrategies for Older Workers

• Primary Prevention

• Secondary Prevention

• Tertiary Prevention


Prevention Strategy

Objective Methods

Primary prevention

Prevent new cases of disablement

•Good OH Practice•Age Management

Secondary prevention

Early detection of increased risk of disablement

•Work Ability Index (WAI)•Stress screening

Tertiary prevention Reintegration of disabled workers

Occupational medicine and clinical treatment


Age Management at Company Level

Age-Management

Promotion ofWork Ability

Promotion of Employability


Prevention of Disablement

Prevention Strategy

Objective Methods

Primary prevention Prevent new cases of disablement

•Good OH Practice•Age Management

Secondary prevention

Early detection of increased risk of disablement

•Work Ability Index (WAI)•Stress screening

Tertiary prevention Reintegration of disabled workers

Occupational medicine and clinical treatment


Work Ability and “WAI”

Definition:

Physically and mentally being able to comply with work demands.

Work Ability Index (“WAI”):

Questionnaire that enables the measurement of the rate of Work Ability


Perspectives of Aging and Work

• Promotion of Occupational gerontology

• Implementation of research findings

• Promotion of Occupational Health Care

• Working Conditions will be improved

• Improvement of health in the working life


Perspectives of Aging and Work

• The working life will be extended beyond the age of 65 years

• Compression of morbidity

• Productive Aging will increase

• Disablement during the working life will decrease


Perspectives

Thomas Perls (New England Centenarian Study):

“I don’t think the trick is staying young. I think the trick is aging well”

(l.c. Aging under the microscope, NIA/NIH, 2002)


Aging Well?

Who can tell?

Maybe this old Dutchman!

born: 1898

deceased: 2005

• 107 years old

• Smoked 20 sigars/day



Aging and Work

Thank you for your attention

Documents

©2006 Willem Goedhard, Middelburg Age Management Nijmegen 13 december 2006 Prof. Willem J.A. Goedhard, MD, PhD