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CHAPTER 3
Demographic changes and challenges in Europe with special focus on Germany 59

and personal competences have become more important. Comparing the
importance of individual competences for an enterprise in relation to the
strengths of older employees shows that older employees are particularly seen
to have a greater degree of methodological and social competence. Little
difference exists in personal and technical competences between younger
and older employees. Older employeesʼ strengths and experience are put to
use for other employees in 85% of enterprises that provide continuing
vocational training.
Analysing the measures used by enterprises to bind older employees over
a longer period (stay) or to reintegrate them into employment ((re)entry), the
additional German survey shows that only 31% of enterprises that provide
continuing vocational training use such instruments. However, 35% will use
them in the future. The most significant instruments are special measures in
job structuring and flexible working arrangements (73%), but in the future
these instruments will be used less (65%). Of enterprises, 48% use targeted
health promotion measures which will be used much more in the future (65%).
Ageing-oriented personal development/continuing training measures are the
third most frequently used type (37%). These will also become more important
in the future (42%). Enterprises will also use a transgenerational corporate
culture (currently 23% and 31% in the future) and ageing-oriented personnel
policies (currently 19% and 32% in the future) more frequently in the future.
Regular continuing vocational training of older employees is key to keep
them in employment. Of the surveyed enterprises 65% feel that continuing
vocational training could reduce the negative effects of the anticipated decline
in labour supply. Enterprises support their older employees who undergo
continuing training by providing them with financial assistance (90%),
releasing them from work (89%), offering flexible working hours (80%) and
providing access to enterprise resources (74%). They offer these assistance
measures to an almost equal degree.
External promotion of an age-based company policy (such as by public
promotion or fixed in collective agreements) should refer to this differentiated
mix of support measures already used in enterprises. Of enterprises which
participated in the German additional survey, 36% are aware of government
funding programmes ( ) and 35% feel that special continuing vocational
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training for older employees is a good idea.

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( ) In Germany ʻPerspektive 50 plus (http://www.perspektive50plus.de – 17.6.2011) or WeGebAU
(http://www.arbeitsagentur.de/Dienststellen/RD-BW/Stuttgart/AA/A01-Allgemein-Info/Publikation/
pdf/Wegebau2007.pdf – 17.6.2011). The ʻPerspektive 50 plusʼ programme is implemented by the
Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs to promote more and better employment for older
people. It is targeted at the regions and has launched a series of regional pacts since 2005.