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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