Age management as a part of public policies

AE Trainer

University

Age management refers to various areas that manage personnel not only within companies but also outside of companies. Although it focuses mostly on the aging of the workforce it nevertheless also forms part of the public responsibility and politics. Hence, in the widest sense does age management not only apply within in-house actions, since age-related measures are not purely tasks of a company, but also calls for responsibility within society (Kriener et al., 2004, 23). 


In this context, we can refer to the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound). It provides knowledge and research results to European countries so that they can further develop and / or implement their labour market and social policies accordingly. The aim of Eurofound is the overall improvement of living and working conditions in Europe.

As an example, the age management strategy includes labour market measures that facilitate older employees to continue or re-enter the labour market (European Union, 2018). As early as 2002, the Barcelona European Council identified a reinforced employment strategy which called, inter alia, for „early retirement incentives for individuals and the introduction of early retirement schemes by companies should be reduced.

Efforts should be stepped up to increase opportunities for older workers to remain in the labour market, for instance, through flexible and gradual retirement formulas and guaranteeing real access to lifelong learning. A progressive increase of about 5 years in the effective average age at which people stop working in the European Union should be sought by 2010.“ (European Commission, 2003, 6)

The Austrian Federal Plan for Senior Citizens (2012) addresses several „syntheses of the most important developments“, and, for example, in addition to „Participation and ‘Active Aging’“, also discusses older employees and „work in old age“. The deceasing number of employees in the labour market continues to be a challenge. Therefore, according to the federal plan, the following demands for the labour market are to be considered in the future: „Anchoring of age- and generation-appropriate working conditions (working hours, procedures, organisational forms) and company health standards as well as its implementation in practice for all generations.“ (Bundesministerium für Arbeit, Soziales und Konsomentenschutz, 2012, 15; translated from German)