Experts figuring out what later-in-life careers look like

ABC NEWS (Australia)

As Australians live longer and healthier lives, more people are retiring later. Uni South Australia workplace diversity expert Professor Carol Kulik says there is an increase in older people choosing to continue to work.

Transcript

00:00Right now, we're seeing more and more people working longer because they choose to.

00:07What we find is that somewhere around age 50 or 55, there's this big cognitive shift

00:13that happens with people.

00:15They become aware of their own mortality, and they're making a really conscious choice

00:20about how they're going to live out those extra healthy years.

00:24And what kind of occupations are people doing this with?

00:28Because obviously if it's pretty intensive labour work, you can't necessarily continue

00:32doing that.

00:33I think you're making a really good point.

00:35We know that even healthy ageing means some physiological changes.

00:40You might not be able to stand as long.

00:43You might not be able to see as clearly.

00:46And so some of those physical labour jobs are the hardest to get flexibility into.

00:52And so do you think this is a good thing?

00:54Oh, I think it's really important that we keep people working as long as they can.

01:00We know that work is good for people, or I should say good work is good for people.

01:06Work gives us financial stability.

01:08It gives us social relationships.

01:10It keeps us cognitively active.

01:13In general, it's a really good thing.

01:16And it's a really good thing for employers, too, because workers who are over 55, they

01:21make up 20% of the Australian workforce.

01:23You can't afford to lose them.

01:25There are some of them taking jobs that younger people could be getting.

01:30Unlikely.

01:33Younger people, we find, tend to have a lot more mobility across jobs.

01:37So they tend to go into jobs, learn the skills and move on.

01:41What we find is that older people are more likely to get into a job and stay in it for

01:46a long time.

01:48And they really contribute a lot of value in the workplace because then they're training

01:52the next generation.

01:54And are companies becoming more aware of the value of having people working longer in their

01:58organisations?

01:59Oh, I wish they would.

02:02Then I wouldn't have to be doing this research.

02:04Then I wouldn't have to be constantly trying to promote older workers.

02:08I do, I do.

02:09It's true.

02:10It's very rewarding.

02:12But I'm often really disappointed that older workers tell us in interviews that they've

02:17gone to their employers and asked for what seems to us very small modifications, very

02:22small amounts of flexibility.

02:24And their managers aren't very responsive.

02:27And what would your advice to those companies be?

02:30I would say pay most attention to your healthiest older workers.

02:35Because in our research, we find that those are the ones whose retirement intention increases

02:40the fastest.

02:42And of course, the healthiest older workers are your most productive ones.

02:45And they're the ones you want to keep.

02:47And what about governments facilitating this?

02:50I think that governments need to kind of take the lead in this.

02:56We do know that the public sector is a bit better in terms of their workforce profile

03:02at retaining older workers.

03:04And of course, a lot of public sector jobs have some flexibility in them.

03:08And how long do you intend to be working for?

03:11As long as my job continues to be very supportive and rewarding.

03:15Good stuff.

03:16OK, Carol Kulik, thanks so much for being a chat to us from Adelaide.

03:20Thanks so much.

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