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CONCLUSIONS
Ageing Europe at work – Guidance to support longer careers of ageing workers 287

They are important for a holistic approach towards promoting longer careers
which follow a different logic from current traditional career models.

Guidance and counselling in Europe:
a synthesis

Successful approaches to guidance and counselling for ageing people are
based on three principles: guidance and counselling should adopt a lifecycle
approach; be comprehensive and responsive; be embraced by all
stakeholders involved. These principles are discussed in more detail in the
following subsections.

Towards a lifecycle approach
Guidance support is key to adapting employment opportunities to an ever
more age-diverse workforce. Research indicates that efficient guidance and
counselling requires a lifecycle approach, which is proactive and tailored to
different stages of work life. Successful guidance and counselling models also
stimulate motivation and learning ability and make people recognise the added
value and relevance of investing in their careers. Approaches that help people
to overcome concerns or reservations towards guidance and counselling
appear to work particularly well.
Employers should take preventive action rather than only react to apparent
age-related issues in the work place. Focus has to be on working life and on
all age groups (not only older workers), and on flexible and age-friendly forms
of work organisation that also allow older workers to integrate continuous
learning into their careers.
Successful guidance requires a holistic approach incorporating common
principles for age management and appropriate employment, education/
training, guidance and health policies and related services. Moreover, it should
entail various career development and management strategies such as further
training and learning on their own, changing to a different occupation/job within
the organisation, or becoming mentors to their younger colleagues. All of these
issues seem to be especially beneficial.

Providing comprehensive and responsive guidance services
Guidance service provision should be easily accessible, comprehensive and
systematic. Responsiveness to the needs of different groups of ageing