Ageing of the labour force in OECD countries

Citation

(2000), "Ageing of the labour force in OECD countries", Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 24 No. 9. https://doi.org/10.1108/jeit.2000.00324iab.004

Ageing of the labour force in OECD countries

Ageing of the labour force in OECD countries

Keywords: Europe, Older employees, Labour market

Europe's elderly population is projected to increase from 20 per cent in 1998 to 35 per cent in 2050. A recent report of the International Labour Organization (ILO) employment strategy department suggests that, with the shrinking supply of young entrants, the older workforce will have to remain additional years in the employment market.

The extension of working life in OECD countries will also result in an increase in employment rates and alleviate pressures on pension systems. New efforts of governments, employers, unions and workers in the field of pension systems, work organization, working time and training are required to cope with these developments.

The report analyses demographic trends and their labour market consequences, and highlights some of the new approaches in public policies and company strategies to tackle the challenges of ageing. It ends with policy recommendations based on ILO labour standards and former work undertaken by the International Labour Office in this area.

Ageing of the Labour Force in OECD Countries: Economic and Social Consequences, Employment Paper 2000/2, by Peter Auer and Mariangels Fortuny, can be obtained from the ILO Employment Strategy Department, Tel: +41 22 799 6564; E-mail: dunanp@ilo.org