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CHAPTER 2
Do European employers support longer working lives? 35

older workers, like labour force surveys, adult education surveys, etc.
Participation in training programmes developed for the entire staff, usually
decreases with age and workers over 50 hardly participate in training
programmes (Elias and Davies, 2004).

Table 2.4. Degree to which employers implemented measures or were
considering implementing measures aimed at retaining older
personnel (%)

Measures EL ES HU NL UK
Easing leisure/work trade-off
Part-time early retirement 12 9 29 47 33

Additional leave for older workers 7 4 4 57 10
Prolonged career interruptions 7 8 3 10 12
Flexible working hours 12 16 – ( ) 21 32
a
Adjusting working conditions
Age limits for irregular work 7 4 11 31 3
Exemption from working overtime for
7 6 14 29 5
older workers
Ergonomic measures 8 13 20 50 14
Adjusting tasks/capabilities
Training programmes for older workers 10 10 20 13 18
Reducing workload for older workers 18 11 12 33 15
Compilation of working teams of different ages 29 21 36 25 50
Demoting older workers to a lower rank and
6 3 10 6 16
pay package

a
( ) No data available for Hungary.
Source: Fair play employer survey, 2005; OFA fair play employer survey Hungary, 2008.

2.4.4. Older workers as a remedy for labour shortages
Policy-makers regard older workers as an important source of additional
labour supply and ageing baby-boomers as a major potential for Europeʼs
labour force. Employers, however, predominantly perceive negative
consequences of an ageing workforce, with an increase of labour cost as the