Older workers - A new perspective: A cross-country study on the factors related to older worker employment in Europe

Viliyan Tsvetanov

Master's thesis

Abstract:

The aging of the workforce is an almost ubiquitous occurrence across Europe’s national labor markets. Despite being the result of positive changes in life expectancy, it also poses some significant challenges. Most notably, the financial sustainability of pension and healthcare systems cannot be guaranteed without a greater degree of workforce participation by individuals aged over 55. However, the factors allowing for higher older worker employment have not been firmly established as of yet, nor has their relevance across countries been determined. This study brings the existing evidence together and tests its cross-country applicability at the EU level. The results suggest that some factors are indeed universally related to older worker employment across European labor markets. In addition, differences between sub-groups of older workers were observed. The potential implications of the results for EU policy are discussed.

Abstract:

The aging of the workforce is an almost ubiquitous occurrence across Europe’s national labor markets. Despite being the result of positive changes in life expectancy, it also poses some significant challenges. Most notably, the financial sustainability of pension and healthcare systems cannot be guaranteed without a greater degree of workforce participation by individuals aged over 55. However, the factors allowing for higher older worker employment have not been firmly established as of yet, nor has their relevance across countries been determined. This study brings the existing evidence together and tests its cross-country applicability at the EU level. The results suggest that some factors are indeed universally related to older worker employment across European labor markets. In addition, differences between sub-groups of older workers were observed. The potential implications of the results for EU policy are discussed.

Keywords

Older workers, pension policy, workforce participation, health, education, training, lifelong learning, economic structure, discrimination, caregiving, EU measures, employment, retirement, worker attitudes, employer attitudes, sub-group differences, economic recession, vulnerability, future sustainability.

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 9. 10. 2020

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 3. 8. 2020
• Supervisor: Prof. Joop Schippers
• Reader: Mgr. Petra Kuchyňková, Ph.D.

Masaryk University

Faculty of Social Studies

Master programme / field:
International Territorial Studies / European Governance