Introduction

The everyday, localised experiences and perceptions of older people in accessing paid work, and their retention and progression in employment, are under-researched and under-documented. More often studies consider the implementation of policy at the national level and at the level of the firm, that is, at a macro level of analysis. This chapter1 provides something unique, since it reports on a participatory and empowering qualitative ‘action research’ project conducted and funded as part of the Equal Community Initiative's Forward Development Partnership, which was based in and focused on two communities in central England (Birmingham and Solihull). The Development Partnership was established to consider issues of access, retention and progression in employment and offer both practical localised policy implementation and research evidence to enhance the employability of people with disabilities, those requiring ‘basic skills’ and ‘older workers’. The main policy-focused output of the ‘older workers’ research was the derivation of a ‘What works?’ list of policy initiatives based on the key research findings (see Appendix), and the primary objective of the research was to enhance the employability of this age cohort. The research demonstrated that continuing institutional age discrimination by employers, unsatisfactory training provision and limited accommodation of health problems as they affect the ability to engage in paid work were the key limiting factors affecting access, retention and progression of ‘older workers’ (that is, those aged over 50 years). The chapter builds on this evidence to suggest that better progress might be achieved at the national level through the application of the more holistic ‘work ability’ approach. This has the overall aim of enhancing productivity and promoting the sustainability of the workforce. Conceptually, work ability considers the interplay between all the factors that enable a person to function well in a job. It aims to balance the personal factors, such as physical and mental health, skills and motivation, with the job itself; how it is managed, what the working environment is like and what the role actually entails. The work ability concept of age management aims to encourage employers to tailor work to individuals as they age – and also to improve those individuals’ health and skills or knowledge needed for the job (see Ilmarinen and Tuomi, 2004, for a comprehensive discussion).