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Working and ageing
154 Guidance and counselling for mature learners

redeployment, flexible employment exit and transition to retirement, and
comprehensive approaches are all aspects of good practice regarding older
workers. Training and career development are important for older workers.
With flexibility and sensitivity to contributions and needs of both workers and
organisations, more positive outcomes are possible for both. Knowledge of
individual skills, capacities and capability is essential. Focus on the whole
working life and all age groups is needed. Individual and organisational
attitudes and practices and national policies and practices need to change.
France is reported as coming more slowly to pay attention to older workers,
having an approach of ʻpremature exclusionʼ accompanied by discrimination
in relation to access to jobs and training, in a context of high unemployment
and industrial restructuring (Gendron, 2006, p. 1). Gendron provides the
examples of case studies of organisations tackling the issue of older workers
positively and proactively.
The first study reported is that of the France 3 television station which
undertook strategies to encourage older workers to stay on in the company.
As reported in a survey they could opt to withdraw, distancing themselves from
the company, others preferred preservation and the largest number chose to
leave the organisation. The company wanted to improve career opportunities
for all workers, with development of new roles and opportunities to work as
mentors and trainers. The organisation is aiming at recreating dynamic energy.
The second case study was Lionet Décor, a decoration business with 50
employees of whom 25% are over 50, which introduced intergenerational
sharing of knowledge into communication processes and competence
development and transfer. Tutoring younger workers by older ones
encouraged intergenerational trust and positive sharing. A reference guide for
each occupation was developed and efforts overall were satisfying.
The third study was on a milk factory Cedilac, with 200 employees of whom
50% are over 45 years, introducing a ʻtraining for all agesʼ programme, with
workers involved in its development. Intergenerational sharing was
encouraged at this workplace as well, with younger workersʼ IT skills informed
by older workers to assist in developing a database of diagnostic tools, for
example, to solve problems and carry out checks. Knowledge management
and experience were valued and seen to be valued by the company. France
has come to a policy approach supporting incremental changes, for example
helping people over 50 to return to work, and for improved working conditions
for older workers (Gendron, 2006). A mind shift is required, and ʻageing, living
and working well togetherʼ has become a goal. The image of older workers
needs to change. Policy directions, Gendron (2006, p. 5) highlights, include: