workforce
Passing it on
Rethinking retirement could ease impending labour shortages .
By Eleanor Campbell
Slowly reducing work hours and reshifting traditional retirement plans may help fulfil older workers and relieve worker shortages , new research has shown .
A recent study from Edith Cowan University analysed data taken from 398 mature workers in the Australian public sector .
The use of inclusive , mature age HR practices and increased opportunities for leadership enhanced their overall wellbeing and in turn , made them happy to stay at work , researchers found .
According to study lead Professor Tim Bentley , hospitals and healthcare organisations could benefit from implementing more age-inclusive workplace policies .
“ There is a tendency to think that older workers are not really worth training or giving them senior roles or redesigning their work to make it more comfortable ,” he told Aged Care Insite .
“ In order to retain nurses and stop them retiring , particularly those that retire early , the workplace needs to be much more accommodating .”
Up to 100,000 skilled workers are expected to retire from the Australian workforce by 2023 .
The healthcare sector will be among the worst hit , with around 85,000 nurses expected to retire by 2025 .
This is projected to reach 123,000 by 2030 .
With the average nurse aged around 49 , management should consider tweaking shift schedules , easing workloads and learning to accommodate physical ailments , according to Bentley .
“ The most effective things are always going to be the hardest and that ’ s the problem ,” he said .
“ Managers need to accept that it ’ s really important they recognise the value of older workers .
“ If you ask older workers generally across the board what they value most , it ’ s that they feel valued and that the organisation values them , and that is what would make them want to stay engaged in work .”
Workplace issues such as bullying , age discrimination and a lack of qualified staff , are also pushing more older nurses to retire .
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Managers need to accept that it ’ s really important they recognise the value of older workers .
Allowing veteran nurses to slowly delay their retirement may also give them time to pass on their skills to early career staff and students , said Bentley .
“ That way people don ’ t leave on one day , they slowly transition into their nonwork life and also enable their employer to retain their expertise over a period of time ,” he said .
“ While they ’ re doing that , they can be training others and mentoring others , passing on those skills and helping address what is already and is going to be even more a massive skills shortage .” While COVID-19 has no doubt been a global disaster , the pandemic may be an opportunity for workplace changes , according to Bentley .
“ It ’ s a huge stepchange and I don ’ t think there ’ ll be any going back ,” he said . “ We know all the research done prior to COVID and during shows us it ’ s a massive retention factor when people have flexibility .
“ There ’ s huge value in this , and this is something that can be extended to the nursing profession .” ■
agedcareinsite . com . au 27