Senior Employment In Organizations

Population aging is a common problem in many countries, both in the West and in the East. To maintain the financial stability of pension systems and account for rising life expectancy, governments are trying to extend working lives (Guillemard, 2010). Despite this widespread political will, however, the employment rate for seniors aged 55 to 64 varies considerably from country to country (56.85% in France and 78.12% in Japan in 2022; sources: JILPT and DARES). This variation may be due to institutional factors, such as the legal retirement age, pension levels, and the share of funded pensions. However, the strategies of organizations and labor unions regarding the aging workforce, such as retention or displacement, also have a significant impact.

Organizations may marginalize older workers due to negative prejudices against them, or they may retain older workers by adapting work organization to their capabilities. In Japan, for example, there are mixed strategies that combine the marginalization and re-employment of older workers under degraded conditions. In some countries, labor unions defend older workers’ right to rest, while in others, they advocate for their right to work.

In this session, we welcome contributions on the strategies of various stakeholders involved in maintaining employment for workers over 55, including individuals, employers, labor and employer organizations, and public authorities. Contributions may address working and employment conditions, pension levels, the work-leisure trade-off, methods for adapting work to older workers' capabilities, the transfer of knowledge between generations, the state of social dialogue and labor disputes, and age stereotypes.