Policy Press

The future for older workers

New perspectives

Edited by Wendy Loretto, Sarah Vickerstaff and Philip J. White

Published

Apr 21, 2009

Page count

256 pages

ISBN

978-1847424181

Dimensions

234 x 156 mm

Imprint

Policy Press

Published

Jul 18, 2007

Page count

256 pages

ISBN

978-1861348968

Dimensions

234 x 156 mm

Imprint

Policy Press
The future for older workers

Across the world governments in mature industrial and post-industrial economies are concerned about the ageing population. Dealing directly and exclusively with the issue of older workers, this book brings together up-to-the-minute research findings by many of the leading researchers and writers in the field.

The duration and quality of working lives and the timing and circustances of retirement are of growing concern, especially in those cases where employers' demands and imperatives clash with employees' wishes. The contributions in this volume focus upon various measures taken by the state and employers to foster the employment of older workers in Britain, mainland Europe, the US and Japan. The authors address key issues that will influence public policy, exploring what workers over 50 want, the impact of the ageing workforce on employer policies and the implications for governments in promoting and supporting extended working lives.

The book is aimed at academics, students, policy makers and other professionals (such as training managers, HR professionals and trade unionists) interested in contemporary issues within social policy, the sociology of ageing, and human resource and diversity management. It wil also be of interest to older workers themselves.

"Older workers are increasingly needed in working life, and it is necessary to reinforce a reversal of the tradition of early retirement and to extend working life. This collection of scholarly articles is an important contribution to the discussion of future policy on work and retirement, offering new perspectives and critical discussions of the topic." Per Erik Solem, Norwegian Social Research (NOVA)

Wendy Loretto is Senior Lecturer in Organisation Studies in the University of Edinburgh Business School.

Sarah Vickerstaff is Professor of Work and Employment at the University of Kent.

Phil White is an Honorary Fellow at the University of Edinburgh.

Introduction ~ Wendy Loretto, Sarah Vickerstaff and Philip J. White; Older workers in the labour market: the demographic context ~ Mike Danson; The American experience of age discrimination legislation ~ John Macnicol; The employment of older people: can we learn from Japan? ~ Bernard Casey; Moving older people into jobs: Incapacity Benefit, Labour's reforms and the job shortfall in the UK regions ~ Christina Beatty and Stephen Fothergill; Women's knowledge of, and attitudes to, pensions ~ Sue Ward; Sustaining working lives: the challenge of retention ~ Donald Hirsch; Healthy work for older workers: work design and management factors ~ Amanda Griffiths; Flexible work and older workers ~ Wendy Loretto, Sarah Vickerstaff and Philip J.White; The employability of older workers: what works? ~ Tony Maltby; Is extending working life possible? Research and policy issues ~ Chris Phillipson; The future for older workers: opportunities and constraints ~ Sarah Vickerstaff, Wendy Loretto and Philip J. White.