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Humanising working conditions for senior workers

EESC Conference 20th June 2012

Tom Vandenbrande, HIVA-KU Leuven

Active ageing: job quality matters!

• Sustainability: Do you think you will be able to do the same yob you are doing now when you are 60 years old?

• Strongly related to quality of work!

Brussels, 20 June 2012 Based on research on EWCS 2010 2

A job quality balance good for long careers

• Perceived sustainability not highest in top quality jobs / not lowest in bottom quality jobs

• Balance in job quality characteristics important for job sustainability

• Emotional demands can be an explanation for short careers. Particular attention needed.

Brussels, 20 June 2012 Based on research on EWCS 2010 3

Seven job quality typesConstellations based on 22 indicators

• Saturated jobs: interesting scores on all indicators

• Full time balanced work: reasonable postive scores on most dimensions

• Work with limited career prospects: working part time and/or in jobs with limited career prospects

• Work on flexible and unusual hours: good salary and a full time job, but unfavourable working time arrangements

• Emotionally demanding work: dealing with people outside organization, no support inside organization

• Heavy repetitive work: no autonomy or say, risky environment, but good working conditions

• Indecent work: bad scores on most items

Brussels, 20 June 2012 Based on research on EWCS 2010 4

More jobs, better jobs?More older workers in countries with better jobs!

Brussels, 20 June 2012 Based on EZA seminars 5

• Overall Job Quality Index by ETUI-REHS based on

– wages – non-standard employment – work-life balance & working time – working conditions and job

security – access to training and career

development– voice / participation

• Countries with good quality jobs have highest employment rate (also for older workers)!

• Employment rate higher when work is attractive to workers!

Conclusions

• Job quality really matters• Balanced work with longest career prospects,

emotionally demanding work with short careers• Job quality should be an important element in

policies on active ageing. Making work attractive is essential in keeping workers active at older age.

• Attractive work not equals to low cost work (cf. current policies), but to high quality work.

Brussels, 20 June 2012 Conclusions 6