Rethinking Working Time to Support Older Workers

Abstract

Flexible working time arrangements may promote and support the employment of older workers, helping to extend working lives. However, existing laws around working time have significant limitations, as working time is largely left to managerial discretion. As a result, working time laws are having limited practical impact in some Member States. There is therefore a need to consider how employment and working practices could be re-envisaged to better suit the modern experience of work and ageing. Drawing on qualitative data from seventeen interviews conducted with United Kingdom (UK) experts in the employment of older workers, this article evaluates the practical merit of working time ideas from the literature. It argues that ideas around working time are difficult to apply to the individualized UK working time model. Thus, we must seriously consider how approaches to working time can be translated into meaningful and practical reforms that effectively mediate the interests of employers and employees.