WORK AND AGE

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WORK AND AGE
Life Span Changes and the Maintenance of Mental
Work ability
Dr. Roel Cremer TNO Work Employment The
Netherlands
NIP congres beroepskeuze en loopbaanpsychologie
17 juni 2005 Amsterdam
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• Veranderingen tijdens
• de levensloop en
• het behoud van
• werkvermogen

Mogelijkheden en belemmeringen voor het werk van
loopbaanpsycholgen
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Incidents that illustrate the main point

• Scenario 1
• A 45 years old production worker, highly
  specialized develops age-related limitations at
  work, has a very limited range of alternatives
  for other work and becomes redundant

• Scenario 2
• During his career a 55 years old production
  workers has developed alternative skills in
  database management. When becoming incapacitated
  to do physically demanding work a smooth
  transition to office work is arranged

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Overview presentation

• The concepts work ability and aging
• Historical and individual differences
• Effects of aging different perspectives
• Gains and losses over the lifespan
• Explanations
• Lessons for HRM

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Mental work ability

• Availability of mental capacities
• (information processing, emotional stability,
• control coping skills)
• in order to comply with actual work demands

• Subjective work ability
• Measured work ability

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Cognitive aging

• Changes in functionality
• (slowed information processing, and changes in
  memory and attentional systems)
• due to biological decay of the brain

• As experienced
• As measured

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Age cohorts in three time epochshistorical and
individual differences
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Perspectives on cognitive aging

• As a result of laboratory studies
• Field studies in work settings
• Observations (studies) in daily life

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Pitfalls with advancing age

• Loss of physical and cognitive function
• Reduced interest to develop, grow or learn
• Narrowing scope
• Isolation

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Life span changes which perspective
Level two At work Work conditions Tuning to
demands Economical use of resources
Level three In daily life Compensation Maintenanc
e Acoomodation Narrowing of functions, emphasis
on skills Selective application
Level one Lab studies Biological
decay Response speed attention,
memory Testing the limits
Strategy Effect Process
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Life span changes which perspective
Strategy Effect Process
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Life span complications level one

• As a result of laboratory studies
• Research on abstracted performance
• few practical relevance
• Usually typical age- effects based on fundamental
  cognitive functions (attention, memory, response
  speed)
• Demanding fluid abilities
• Effortful information processing

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Life span complications level two three

• Capacities at work
• Professional demands
• Aging effects are task and job dependent
• Demands are usually related to experience on the
  job
• Capacities in daily life (not at work)
• A wide repertoire of behavioral choice
• Freedom of choice, few obligations, optimal
  coping, effects of aging, hardly of relevance

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Age-related gains skills abilities

• Abilities to negotiate, mediate
• Social abilities
• Patience, loyalty
• Professional network
• Stress experienced decreased sensitivity
• Safety, security awareness
• Skills routine craftmanship

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Age-related gains wisdom ?

• The wider scope, (historical) overview and
  insight
• Expert knowledge (in depth processing)
• (Meta-)vision Fingerspitzengefühl
• Reflection and relating
• Sense of control and responsibility
• The crystallized nature of these abilities

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Changes of fluid and crystallized abilities
during the lifespan
I N C R E A S I N G A G E
Reduced fluid abilities
Increased crystallized abilities
Fluid abilities
PROFESSIONAL CAREER
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Maintaining work abilityas an organizational HRM
policy

• Which capacities can be strengthened
• Which alternative functions can be offered
• Which alternatives in the work situation are
  possible
• Follow working, learning, growing
• Emphasize and upgrade skills
• Individual analysis strength/weakness
• promote pro-active lifespan policy instead of
  age-policy

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Recommended action

• Anticipate for change
• How see changes happen and keep record
• Inform employee and discuss findings
• Reserve jobs and functions
• Inform other workers about life span policy
• Accomplish commitment and understanding

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Conclusions

• Effects of aging are context dependent
• Place HRM Lifespan policies on the agenda
• stimulate coping behavior
• Work on efficacy, security and fear reduction
• work on ergonomic adaptations in the workplace
• Aim at growth and development

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Het werkvermogen (Work Ability)factoren
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MWA actoren en processenhet Finse model
Werknemer




(gezondheid
, functionele capaciteit)
Werk
en
Organisatie
en




werkomgeving
functioneren als
team









(management,
samenwerking,
(ergonomie
, hygiëne
, veiligheid)

Communicatie)
Professionele competentie

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Oriëntatiematrix omtrent ageing and work