Prolonged Working Life Research Articles

Länger gesund im Beruf? Trends in den Lebensjahren frei von Herz-Kreislauf- und Muskel-Skelett-Erkrankungen in GKV-Daten für die Erwerbstätigen- und Allgemeinbevölkerung

ZusammenfassungHintergrundUnsere Studie fokussiert auf die Entwicklung der erkrankungsfreien Lebensjahre in Bezug auf 2 Erkrankungsgruppen mit hoher Public-Health-Relevanz: Muskel-Skelett- (MSE) und Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen (HKE). Vor dem Hintergrund der steigenden Lebensarbeitszeit wird die Entwicklung der erkrankungsfreien Jahre der Bevölkerung im erwerbsfähigen Alter und der Erwerbstätigen verglichen und Unterschiede zwischen den Berufsgruppen beleuchtet.MethodenDie Studie basiert auf den Daten der AOK Niedersachsen (N = 2.001.225). Die Erkrankungsfälle werden anhand der Diagnosedaten ermittelt. Die erwarteten Jahre frei von MSE und HKE werden mit Multistate-Life-Table-Analysen für 3 Perioden zwischen 2006 und 2018 berechnet. Die Berufsgruppe wird über den Berufsschlüssel definiert und in 3 Gruppen unterteilt: 1) Un- und Angelernte, 2) Fachkräfte und Spezialisten, 3) Hochqualifizierte.ErgebnisseDie Lebensjahre frei von MSE nahmen in der Allgemeinbevölkerung und unter den Erwerbstätigen deutlich ab. Die stärkste Verringerung zeigte sich in der höherqualifizierten Berufsgruppe. Die Lebensjahre frei von HKE stiegen in der Allgemeinbevölkerung im Zeitverlauf. Die Zunahmen waren unter den Erwerbstätigen geringer, sie wurden nur bei Männern in un- und angelernter Tätigkeit verzeichnet.DiskussionDie Studie zeigt, dass sich die erkrankungsfreien Jahre unter den Erwerbstätigen teilweise schlechter als in der Allgemeinbevölkerung entwickelten. Für die untersuchten Erkrankungsgruppen MSE und HKE bestehen deutliche Ungleichheiten zwischen den Berufsgruppen, die sich im Zeitverlauf etwas verringerten. Die Ungleichheiten und die Abnahme der Jahre frei von MSE belegen die hohe Public-Health-Relevanz und den Bedarf an Präventionsmaßnahmen zur Vermeidung von HKE und MSE im erwerbsfähigen Alter.

The Road to Retirement: A Life Course Perspective on Labor Market Trajectories and Retirement Behaviors

Abstract While a prolonged working life has been mainly feasible for people with the most advantageous working careers, knowledge about the barriers for those with vulnerable occupational paths is still scarce. This study explores the conditions for prolonged working life from a perspective on labor market trajectories. Drawing from a gendered life course perspective and that (dis)advantageous tends to accumulate over time, we investigate the opportunity structure for the most disadvantaged workers and which characteristics of labor market trajectories can explain the decision to work longer. To this end, a Swedish longitudinal survey and register data from the Panel Survey of Ageing and the Elderly (PSAE) were used, following people across a substantial part of their working life. With sequence analysis, we identified 5 trajectories that represent typical labor market trajectories from mid-life until retirement age. Our findings showed that labor market precarity in mid-life remained a key characteristic until the expected retirement age, showing both early signs of early labor market exit and a precarity trap into a prolonged working life. These findings emphasize the need to identify at-risk groups early in their careers and that mid-life interventions are needed to prevent involuntary labor market exits and to ensure a sustainable working life. In particular, the need to protect older workers with turbulent or precarious labor market trajectories against labor market risks and retirement schemes that could inadvertently contribute to increased social and economic inequality in later life.

Prolonging working life among blue-collar workers: The buffering effect of psychosocial job resources on the association between physically demanding and hazardous work and retirement timing

The need to delay retirement timing has been acknowledged in Western countries due to demographic ageing. The aim of the present study was to examine the buffering effects of job resources (decision authority, social support, work-time control, and rewards) on the association of exposures to physically demanding work tasks and physically hazardous work environment with non-disability retirement timing. Results from discrete-time event history analyses, in a sample of blue-collar workers (n = 1741; 2792 observations) from the nationwide longitudinal Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH), supported that decision authority and social support may buffer the negative impact of heavy physical demands on working longer (continuing working vs retiring). Stratified analyses by gender showed that the buffering effect of decision authority remained statistically significant for men, while that of social support remained statistically significant for women. Moreover, an age effect was displayed, such that a buffering effect of social support on the association of heavy physical demands and high physical hazards with working longer were found among older men (≥64 years), but not younger (59–63 years). The findings suggest that heavy physical demands should be reduced, however, when not feasible physical demands should be accompanied by social support at work for delaying retirement.

Job Satisfaction as Important Factor of Work Quality and the Influence of Selected Factors

Current demographic developments and population projections indicate that the search for approaches that lead to employees remaining in employment even after reaching retirement age will gain importance. Job satisfaction is one of the most important approaches to prolonging working life. The job satisfaction of older workers is in the scope of researchers as older age groups are growing workforce in the labor market of national economies and the European Union. Researchers are mainly focused on the relationship between job satisfaction and various factors like older age, gender, disability, skills, or salary. The scientific study aims to specify the influence of «Satisfied with job» and the factors «Work allowed development of skills», «Work had adequate salary», and «Work atmosphere» for the group of workers aged 50 and over. SHARE, the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe, which has a transnational dimension, is used to detect the specification of the relationship. The Chi-square test is used to detect dependence. The tightness of the dependence is detected by using Cramér’s V. Where the relationship is expressed, it is detected using adjusted standardized residuals. The strongest tightness of dependence is expressed in the case of random variables «Satisfied with job» and «Work allowed development of skills». This fact points to the importance of developing work skills among workers. At the same time, the scientific study results show that the respondents answered the same statistically significantly more than what would correspond to the assumed independence of both random variables in all three cases. It follows that if employers are trying to make their employees significantly «Satisfied with job», then in addition to adequate remuneration, they must choose procedures that lead to them also being significantly satisfied with the «Work atmosphere» and the possibilities of developing employees` skills. The significance of the conclusions obtained while fulfilling the objective is broad. Results provide employers and decision-makers with important findings about the factors influencing job satisfaction. Appropriately used management methods and interventions based on such knowledge are able to positively influence the quality of work, and work performance and fully utilize work potential.

The effects of an increase in the retirement age on health — Evidence from administrative data

This study analyzes the causal effect of an increase in the retirement age on official health diagnoses. We exploit a sizable cohort-specific pension reform for women using a Difference-in-Differences approach. The analysis is based on official records covering all individuals insured by the public health system in Germany and including all certified diagnoses by practitioners. This enables us to gain a detailed understanding of the multi-dimensionality in these health effects. The empirical findings reflect the multi-dimensionality but allow for deriving two broader conclusions. We provide evidence that the increase in the retirement age negatively affects health outcomes as the prevalence of several diagnoses, e.g., mental health, musculoskeletal diseases, and obesity, increases. In contrast, we do not find support for an improvement in health related to a prolonged working life. These findings are robust to sensitivity checks, and do not change when correcting for multiple hypothesis testing.

Can workplace intervention prolong work life of older workers? A quasi-experimental study

BackgroundWe aimed to evaluate the impact of a workplace senior program intervention on early exit from labor market and on the disability retirement among older employees and work-related physical factors associated with it.MethodsA total of 259 individuals aged 55 + years participated in the study (107 in intervention and 152 were controls). A questionnaire survey was conducted among Finnish food industry employees between 2003 and 2009 and the intervention “senior program” was provided between 2004 and 2009. The type of pension for the respondents who had retired by 2019 was obtained and dichotomized as statutory vs. early labor market exit. Disability pension was investigated as a separate outcome. Information on work-related factors was obtained from the survey. Cox regression analysis was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) with their 95% confidence intervals.ResultsFifty-one employees had early labor market exit. Of them, 70% (n = 36) were control participants. Employees in the senior program worked for longer years (mean years 7.4, 95% CI 6.4–8.1) compared to the control (6.6, 95% CI 6.3–7.5). Sixty percent lower risk of early labor market exit (HR 0.40, 95% CI 0.19–0.84) and disability pension was found among employees in the senior program compared to the control group. Good work ability had a 94% lower risk (0.06, 95% CI 0.01–0.29) of early labor market exit and 85% lower risk (0.15, 95% CI 0.03–0.73) of disability pension compared to poor work ability. Employees with musculoskeletal pain had 4 times higher risk of disability pension compared to those without musculoskeletal pain.ConclusionsA workplace senior program intervention prolonged work life and had positive effect on reducing disability pension among older industrial workers.

Staffing agency: A bridge to working during retirement.

BACKGROUND:The ageing population has initiated a debate about a prolonged working life. There is an interest in finding the pre-retirement predictors of bridge employment and retirement decisions, but the understanding of the experiences of bridge employees is still limited.OBJECTIVES:The aim was to describe the characteristics of the pensioners working for a staffing agency, their motivational aspects, work patterns and types of services they provided.METHODS:This article analyses the results from a Swedish staffing agency’s yearly co-worker questionnaire from December 2017. The response rate was 44% (N = 1741). The design is descriptive, with correlation analyses and construction of typical cases.RESULTS:Most study participants were aged 65–74 years. Sixty-five percent were men, 66% were cohabitating/married, dominating education level was secondary school or higher education (79%). Important incentives for working were the social context and to gain extra income. A majority of the respondents also stated that their work increased their overall well-being. Seventy-eight percent worked 25 hours per month or less, 37% wanted to work more, 3% wanted to work less. Private services dominated with 61%; most common were gardening (43%), trades (33%) and cleaning (31%).CONCLUSIONS:More men than women chose this form of work. While single women need to work out of economic necessity, men, to a larger extent, work for the social context and well-being. The highest work frequency in 2017 (14%) in the population was found for those who retired in 2015, i.e. two years after their retirement year. A majority indicated that the work they were doing was different from earlier in their working life.

An aqueous polyisocyanate adhesive with excellent bond durability for engineered wood composites enhanced by polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin co-crosslinking and montmorillonite hybridization

Recent trends toward mass-timber buildings and tall timber structures necessitate more stringent requirements for the bond durability of adhesives for engineered wood composites. In this work, a cost-effective strategy for manufacturing a novel aqueous polyisocyanate adhesive with excellent hygrothermal resistance for engineered wood composites was produced via co-crosslinking with polyamidoamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resin followed by organic–inorganic hybridization with montmorillonite clay (MMC). Test results confirmed that PAE co-crosslinking effectively increased the crosslinking density of aqueous polyisocyanate adhesive meanwhile prolonged working life. Hybridization of PAE-crosslinked polyisocyanate with MMC resulted in compact crosslinked networks and notably increased hygrothermal resistance. Consequently, this novel aqueous polyisocyanate adhesive exhibited excellent bond durability of plywood in terms of a wet aged strength of 1.73 MPa and a strength reduction ratio of only 18.4% after 7 boiling-dry hygrothermal aging cycles, which satisfies the requirements for manufacturing engineered wood composites as good construction and building materials.

Do good psychosocial working conditions prolong working lives? Findings from a prospective study in Sweden

Due to an ageing population, governments in European countries are striving to keep older workers longer in the workforce. Remarkably few studies have paid attention to the influence of psychosocial working conditions on timing of retirement for older workers in and beyond normative retirement age. The aim of the present study was to examine whether good psychosocial working conditions contribute to prolonged working lives among older workers (59 years and above). A particular question was whether such conditions increase in importance with age. Seven waves (2006–2018) of the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH) were used (N = 6000, observations = 10,632). Discrete-time event history analyses showed that higher levels of job resources (decision authority [OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.06–1.22], skill use [OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.07–1.29], learning opportunities [OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.13–1.31], social support [OR 1.29 (95% CI 1.16–1.42], work-time control [OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01–1.13], and reward [OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.24–1.57])—but not lower levels of job demands (quantitative and emotional demands or effort)—were associated with working longer (continued work two years later). Also, low effort-reward imbalance (OR 0.84 [95% CI 0.73–0.96]) was associated with working longer. In addition, skill use, work-time control, reward, and low effort-reward imbalance increased in importance with age for continued work. These results suggest that providing older workers with control over their work tasks, giving opportunities for learning and using their skills, as well as rewarding and acknowledging their achievements, may keep them in the workforce longer. Especially, job resources may grow in importance with age.

Factors Influencing Retirement Decisions among Blue-Collar Workers in a Global Manufacturing Company-Implications for Age Management from A System Perspective.

The maintenance of older workers and determining the appropriate age for retirement are growing issues related to the fact that fewer people, still active in working life, have to provide for more non-working people due to increased life expectancy. As a result, retirement age has started to rise in many countries, and employers need to find ways to maintain an older and healthy work force, not least to avoid the loss of important experience. The aim of the current study was to increase the knowledge of factors influencing the retirement decisions among blue-collar workers in different national settings. A survey and semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 100 blue-collar workers in Sweden, the Netherlands, and France, aged 55 years and older, within a global manufacturing company. Based on the results, implications for companies’ age management strategies were discussed from a system perspective. Factors contributing to both retirement and to a prolonged work life were found on individual, organisational, and societal levels. This indicates the importance of a system perspective when planning for age management interventions.

Long‐Range Exciton Migration in Coassemblies: Achieving High Photostability without Disrupting the Electron Donation of Fluorene Oligomers

AbstractIn this work, photostable coassemblies from a nonphotostable fluorene oligomer (the energy donor) and a photostable oligomer (the energy acceptor) are fabricated. Long‐range exciton migration over a net distance of about 370 energy‐donor molecules to energy acceptors is demonstrated in such coassemblies. The fast and long energy migration allows harvesting of the excitation energy of energy donors by embedding a small number of energy acceptors for photostability enhancement. Importantly, embedding a small number of energy acceptors in coassemblies causes a negligible negative influence on the electron donation of energy donors that are desired in practical applications. The advantages of the coassemblies fabricated, that is, high photostability without disrupting the electron donation of energy donors, are well illustrated in fluorescence detection of trace explosives where prolonged working life and improved detection capacity are achieved.

Long-Range Exciton Migration in Coassemblies: Achieving High Photostability without Disrupting the Electron Donation of Fluorene Oligomers.

In this work, photostable coassemblies from a nonphotostable fluorene oligomer (the energy donor) and a photostable oligomer (the energy acceptor) are fabricated. Long-range exciton migration over a net distance of about 370 energy-donor molecules to energy acceptors is demonstrated in such coassemblies. The fast and long energy migration allows harvesting of the excitation energy of energy donors by embedding a small number of energy acceptors for photostability enhancement. Importantly, embedding a small number of energy acceptors in coassemblies causes a negligible negative influence on the electron donation of energy donors that are desired in practical applications. The advantages of the coassemblies fabricated, that is, high photostability without disrupting the electron donation of energy donors, are well illustrated in fluorescence detection of trace explosives where prolonged working life and improved detection capacity are achieved.

Effects of changes in early retirement policies on labor force participation: the differential effects for vulnerable groups.

Objectives:This study investigated the effects of a national early retirement reform, which was implemented in 2006 and penalized early retirement, on paid employment and different exit pathways and examined whether these effects differ by gender, income level and health status.Methods:This study included all Dutch individuals in paid employment born six months before (control group) and six months after (intervention group) the cut-off date of the reform (1 January 1950) that fiscally penalized early retirement. A regression discontinuity design combined with restricted mean survival time analysis was applied to evaluate the effect of penalizing early retirement on labor force participation from age 60 until workers reached the retirement age of 65 years, while accounting for secular trends around the threshold.Results:The intervention group postponed early retirement by 7.41 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 6.11–8.72], and partly replaced this by remaining 4.87 months (95% CI 3.60–6.24) longer in paid employment. Workers born after the threshold, annually earning €25 000–40 000, spent 1.24 months (95% CI 0.31–2.18) more in economic inactivity than those born before. The working months lost to unemployment increased by 1.50 months (95% CI 0.30–2.71) for female workers and 1.99 months (95% CI 0.06–3.92) for workers reporting multiple chronic diseases.Conclusions:The national reform successfully prolonged working lives of older workers. However, workers with a middle income, female workers, and workers with chronic diseases were more vulnerable to premature exit from the labor market through unemployment or being without any income or benefit.

An interactional perspective on age managementfor prolonged working life

An interactional perspective on age managementfor prolonged working life

Prolonged or preserved working life? Intra-organisational institutions embedded in human resource routines

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of why people are still retiring earlier than would have been expected, despite policies that increase the retirement age. This is a qualitative study in a large public-service organisation in Sweden focusing particularly on how human resource routines aimed at middle management tend to inhibit the promotion of a prolonged working life, despite government efforts aimed at changing these actions. The results highlight three key routines (development talks, salary talks and internal recruitment) that inhibit prolonged working life. These routines seem rational and appropriate to the organisation's managers, because the demands of the job must have priority over employees’ capabilities in recruitment routines. Furthermore, it could be considered economically rational to prioritise salary demands of younger employees over those of older employees, and it may appear economically rational to stop further training efforts for older employees. In general, then, it seems reasonable to managers to make decisions based on objective criteria like age. Nevertheless, our results suggest that these routines may need to be redesigned in order to support a prolonged working life and to avoid a discrepancy between accepted prolonged working-life policies and the actions of organisational actors. The study further reveals how intra-organisational institutions (e.g.taken-for-granted mind-sets and norms) embedded in human resource routines may promote or inhibit prolonged working life, suggesting a need for change in those institutions.

PROTOCOL: Recreational book reading for promoting cognitive functioning and emotional well-being in older adults: A systematic review.

PROTOCOL: Recreational book reading for promoting cognitive functioning and emotional well-being in older adults: A systematic review.

Prevention at work needed to curb the worldwide strong increase in knee replacement surgery for working-age osteoarthritis patients

Prevention at work needed to curb the worldwide strong increase in knee replacement surgery for working-age osteoarthritis patients

Working for only financial reasons attenuates the health effects of working beyond retirement age: A 2-year longitudinal study.

The health benefits of paid employment in late life are understood, but they might vary according to work motives. We examined the health effects of employment among older adults, focusing on motivation. We carried out a 2-year longitudinal survey from 2013 (baseline) to 2015 (follow up). Among 7608 older adults, the analysis included 1069 who completed both surveys and were employed at baseline. Work motives were assessed using a questionnaire. Participants were assigned to groups based on their responses: (i) financial reasons; (ii) motivation other than financial reasons; and (iii) both financial and non-financial reasons. Self-rated health, mental health and higher-level functional capacity were evaluated as health outcomes. There were group differences in baseline demographic variables and health status; those with financial reasons had lower socioeconomic status and worse mental health. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that compared with older workers with non-financial reasons, those with financial reasons were more likely to decline in self-rated health (OR 1.42; 95% CI 1.00-2.03) and higher-level functional capacity (OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.16-2.07), which was independent of potential covariates, including socioeconomic status. However, no differences were evident between those with only non-financial reasons and those having both financial and non-financial reasons. We found that the participants who worked only for financial rewards had reduced health benefits through working in old age. A prolonged working life among older workers can contribute to maintaining health and can be enhanced by non-financial reasons, such as finding meaning in life and social contact. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 745-751.

Factors Contributing to Retirement Decisions in Denmark: Comparing Employees Who Expect to Retire before, at, and after the State Pension Age.

Aim: Analyse factors affecting retirement decisions comparing employees expecting to retire before, at, and after the state pension age. Methods: In the SeniorWorkingLife cohort, 12,269 workers aged +50 replied to questions about expected retirement age, reasons for leaving, and reasons for staying longer. Results: For all groups, poor health, wish for more leisure, and economy were the most salient expected reasons for retiring. Many would stay longer if there were better possibilities for more leisure time, more work flexibility, and economic benefits. Those expecting to retire before state pension age were more likely to point at desire for more leisure time as expected reason for retiring, and less likely to point at economic reasons, and more likely to point at health and work demands as possible reasons for prolonging working life. Those expecting to retire after state pension age were more likely to point at external factors and recognition from the management. Conclusion: Factors influencing retirement decisions are similar across the groups. Initiatives for better work–life balance, healthy lifestyle, and economic incentives to continue working may help prevent early retirement and motivate prolonging work life beyond retirement. Results also indicate that less strenuous work is particularly relevant to prevent early retirement.

The perceptions of older nurses regarding continuing to work in a nursing career after retirement: A qualitative study in two Chinese hospitals of different levels

BackgroundThere is a shortage of nurses worldwide, and a large number of older nurses will be entering retirement in the near future. Older nurses have rich nursing experience, and their retirement is a major loss of resources for the nursing profession. Returning to work after retirement is becoming increasingly popular among retirees today, but there is limited knowledge of the perceptions of older nurses regarding continuing to work in a nursing career after retirement. ObjectivesTo explore older nurses’ perceptions of continuing to work in a nursing career after retirement. Design and settingsWe conducted a descriptive, qualitative study of older nurses from two public hospitals of different levels in China in 2018. ParticipantsA total of 27 older nurses aged 50–60 years were recruited, 15 from a tertiary hospital and 12 from a secondary hospital. MethodsIndividual semi-structured interviews were conducted with older nurses. An interview guide was developed to explore nurses’ perceptions of continuing to work in a nursing career after retirement. Thematic analysis was used for the data analysis. We developed an interview guide and analysed the data based on the three essential conditions of the framework for understanding behaviour. FindingsBased on the definition of the three essential conditions of the framework for understanding behaviour, 14 subthemes emerged from the data were categorised under this framework. The three main themes were as follows: the nurses’ perceptions of their capability, motivation, and opportunity related to engaging in a nursing career after retirement. A number of older nurses with rich clinical experience have the ability and motivation to engage in nursing a career after retirement. However, discrimination against nurses, burnout, and the effects on young people's employment are barriers to older nurses considering working in a nursing career after retirement. Regarding re-employment after retirement, older nurses also expressed concerns about their physical health, family responsibilities, and salary as well as lack of managerial and policy support. ConclusionsThese themes confirmed previous findings and offered new perspectives on older Chinese nurses’ perceptions of working in a nursing career after retirement. These findings will influence future policy development and research directions. Policies for facilitating a prolonged working life should be developed. Future research should focus on how to address the challenges confronted by older nurses.