December 2019

The Right of Older Persons to Work and to Access the Labour Market

By Andrew C. Byrnes, Israel Issi Doron, Nena Georgantzi, Bill Mitchell, Bridget Sleap This paper was prepared as a submission to the United Nations General Assembly Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing, which is considering the desirability of the development of a new international treaty on the human rights of older persons. The paper explores issues relating to the participation of older persons in the labour market, in particular the barriers to their entry to and continued participation in paid...

How can Israel create an economy fit for an aging population?

The “twin threats” of societal aging and workplace automation pose major challenges to both Israel and economies the world over. An aging population caused by trends of rising life expectancy – predicted to increase to 84.4 years among Israelis by 2040 – and declining birth rates are leading to what has been described as a pensions time bomb, requiring the dedication of unprecedented resources to supporting the retired and elderly. In addition, tasks associated with older workers are also...

The aging workforce: Older workers are growing in number. And that offers opportunities.

For more than a decade, labor academics and human resource executives have been preparing for the "next" generation — from the millennials, now the largest working population, to the newest members of the workforce, Generation Z. But older Americans are increasingly working later into life. While roughly 10,000 baby boomers a day will reach retirement age between 2011 and 2029, only about 5,900 a day are retiring. Fred Hubacker, 75, continues to work a full schedule as executive director...

UK. Life expectancy advice risks turning savers into spenders

Online calculators that tell people their life expectancy may be having the perverse effect of discouraging them from choosing a guaranteed income in retirement, according to academic research. The study of 2,000 people found that they were less likely to buy an annuity — a guaranteed income for life — after using official life expectancy calculators such as that on the government’s Pension Wise service. People appeared to be making decisions that conventional economics could not explain when confronted...

November 2019

Digitization and Automation: Firm Investment and Labor Outcomes

By Michał Zator AI, automation and other digital technologies are thought to be transforming the economy, but the empirical evidence on their diffusion and impact is scarce. This paper uses new firm-level administrative data from Germany to analyze causes and consequences of firms' investment in the new technology - digitization and automation. Main results characterize relationship of technology and labor: (1) investment in technology is typically increased by labor scarcity; (2) new technologies typically reduce employment. Both results hide...

ECB chief Economist says ageing populations are depressing interest rates

European Central Bank chief economist Philip Lane told business leaders in Dublin that ageing populations were contributing to downward pressure on underlying real interest rates, which have been around zero or in negative territory in the euro zone in recent years. Read also Countries should strengthen pension systems to adapt to changing world of work “In terms of magnitude, a wide range of estimates suggest that the downward impact on equilibrium real rates from slowing population growth and...

Countries should strengthen pension systems to adapt to changing world of work

Governments should urgently reform their pension systems to ensure that the growing share of workers in temporary or part-time employment can contribute enough during their working lives to receive an adequate income in retirement, according to a new OECD report. Read also Pensions at a Glance 2019 Pensions at a Glance 2019 says that non-standard employment, such as self-employment, temporary or part-time work, now accounts for more than one-third of employment across OECD countries. Part-time work is three times more...

Ageing population a threat to Australian economy: Treasurer

Australia's Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has warned that the nation's ageing population is an "economic time bomb". Read also US. Longevity Project explores the nuanced implications of longer life According to The Australian Financial Review on Tuesday, Frydenberg said in a speech that the population is ageing and this will place new demands on health, aged care and pension systems. Read also The human face of pension management According to data cited in his speech, the ratio of working-age Australians to every...

Philippines. Social pension and our senior citizens

A hallmark of Filipino culture is how we treat our elderly with respect and utmost care. Indeed, it is normal for a family to have at least one grandparent living with them—and if not living with them, then frequently visiting to make sure the children and grandchildren are doing well. With this in mind, the government recognizes that the welfare of senior citizens can be a challenge for many families. That is why there is a need for...

October 2019

Can migrants, robots and retirees help to combat the demographic crisis in an ageing Japan?

Turning 100 is no longer a novelty in Japan. Itsuko Inoue recently celebrated her 100th birthday, joining the ranks of Japan’s 71,000 centenarians. A native of Tokyo, Inoue survived both the earthquake of 1923 and the Second World War before going on to have five daughters. She will soon receive a certificate from Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, which is responsible for congratulating the new centenarians who grow in number every year. Read also What Is The...