While the European workforce is getting older, attitudes towards ageing are changing for the better. ‘Silver workers’ are increasingly seen as a force that may energise development and bring new opportunities for economic growth. Europe needs to prepare for the challenges this new attitude brings by changing age-structures in enterprises and reaching targets for older-worker participation in lifelong learning. Some improvements are already visible. In Germany, for example, a survey published in March shows that the percentage of adults aged 60-64 years in continuous education rose from 18% in 2007 to 32% in 2012.
The total figure has also reached record levels. According to the survey, which was conducted on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), 49% of the population of working age participated at a training session between April 2011 and June 2012, up from 45.4% in 2007.
However, participation in continuous education in Germany is well above the EU-27 average (34.9% in 2007).
Investing in the ‘silver economy’ can bring real returns and benefits to employers and individuals. Cedefop Acting Director, Christian Lettmayr, says: ‘Successful active ageing relies on a sound understanding of the concept of ageing, the dynamics of the workplace, and how learning and human resource policies at enterprise level can help make longer and satisfying careers a reality.’
To achieve that goal, ageing workers’ needs and abilities should be taken into account. Some capacities increase as people get older while others tend to diminish with age. Important concepts in that respect are those of fluid and crystallised intelligence.
Capacity to solve problems in new situations and to think logically (fluid intelligence), tends to decrease as people get older. However, use of accumulated knowledge and experience (crystallised intelligence) to solve problems increases or remains stable.
Internal job changes can support work capacity. For example, ageing workers could be moved to less physically demanding jobs where they would use their crystallised abilities for the organisation’s benefit.
At the same time, on-the-job intergenerational learning can prove beneficial for all involved. Mentoring, tutoring and coaching are ways to promote this type of learning. Other approaches involve multigenerational teams in initial or continuing training. Benefits include keeping critical knowledge and expertise in the organisation, combining strengths of individuals from different generations and helping to break down negative age stereotypes and attitudes.
The next few decades will provide limited opportunity to address skill needs by replacing older workers with younger ones. Stimulating enterprises to respond better to challenges posed by an ageing workforce can be powerful drivers of change.
Ageing, alongside other major trends, will influence the skills needed in the future, determine growth and innovation opportunities and ultimately shape the form and nature of future economies and societies.