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CHAPTER 8
Policy, research and practice: supporting longer careers for baby-boomers 147

guiding older workers, but the workersʼ needs as well. Interests and concerns
of workers contribute to ideas for models of operation: ʻemployees of all ages
want meaningful work and responsibility, opportunities to learn, a congenial
and respectful workplace, fair pay, and adequate benefits, but to varying
degrees. Matures expect the mix, especially such elements as pension
accumulation and payout options, to reflect the value of their experience and
their retirement preferencesʼ (Dychtwald et al., 2006, p. 42). Dychtwald et al.
also argue that matures want a rewarding pattern of work such as a
downshifting, which still promotes productivity and stimulation. Career
concerns are for people of all ages, not merely younger generations. Denmark
for example, is already addressing such concerns with an approach of
ʻflexicurity,ʼ as reported by Bredgaard et al. (2005) which addresses individual
and systemic issues and needs. The flexicurity model brings together
elements of a flexible labour market, generous welfare schemes and active
labour-market participation, with ʻhigh mobility between jobs with a
comprehensive social safety net for the unemployed and an active labour
market policyʼ (Bredgaard et al., 2005, p. 5). The model has been successful
although there remains a challenge to engage enterprises more through
retention of older workers, and to integrate people no longer in the workforce
(Bredgaard et al., 2005, p. 33).
For achievements to be made in relation to employment and inclusion of
ageing workers and to provide guidance and counselling, human resources
policies and practices will need to change. Dychtwald et al., (2006) for
example, advocate hiring mature workers, implementation of flexible
retirement, and reforms to simplify pension and benefit laws. Such advances
need to be supported by guidance and counselling for older workers.
A perspective of viewing the whole of a personʼs life with work integral to
that can inform practice. Research into lifelong learning (Harris and Chisholm,
2011) provides a model for learning to be an integral part of life for all
throughout the entire lifespan, primarily through recognition of learning
achieved through various ways, tacit, explicit, formal, informal, accredited,
non-accredited.
These ideas are discussed and presented for consideration of how ageing
workers can be included in organisational and national endeavours rather than
being discarded. It is argued that focus upon the individual ageing worker by
providing counselling and advice, while important, to be effective needs to be
positioned within an organisational and systemic model of operation.
For this chapter a selection of literature on older workers and the ageing
workforce has formed a basis for consideration of perspectives and a range