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How does the workplace have to change because of the aging boomers?

By Terry Bogyo 06/11/2012 10:14:00

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The following is a post from the Archives of Terry's Blog - originally published February 6, 2012

Last week I participated in a CBC series entitled, "The Silver Ceiling". The overall series concept was driven by the leading edge of the baby boom generation hitting 65 this year. My contribution was to speak about how workplace safety and health in light of this demographic shift.

As we age (and as many of us know first hand) our bodies change. Our eyesight and colour perception change beginning in our forties and fifties, muscle strength and hearing acuity decline, and co-morbidities such as high blood pressure and diabetes increase. Obesity is also associated with age. Reaction time slows and recovery times increase.The need for medications often increases and with these often come side effects such as drowsiness.

But it's not all bad news. We certainly gain experience as we age. That experience and knowledge allow us to avoid many of the risks in workplace environments.

How should the workplace change? I'm not suggesting radical steps. Improved task lighting, for example, will allow aging eyes to work more comfortably. Removing clutter from control panel designs to shop bench workstations will prevent errors that may cause injury. Improving ergonomics by limiting weights, supplying lifts (and the training and support so they are actually used), increasing the font size on signs, reducing tripping hazards through high contrast step edges, adding handrails — all of these changes are low cost adaptations that can improve workplaces for all workers not just aging boomers.

I believe we'll see more and more older workers in the workplace. I recently downloaded data from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey that demonstrates a fundamental shift in workplace demographics that I believe will continue for years to come. The following chart shows the number of workers in the B.C. labour force who are younger (under 25) and older (aged 55 and older). The largest core of workers is aged 25 to 55 and is not shown on the chart but as you can see, older workers now outnumber younger workers in the BC employed labour force.

I’m not the only one who is predicting that we'll see more older workers in the labour force in the future. We don’t have enough young people to replace those that are retiring so many older workers will be enticed to work longer. Some will have to work longer for financial reasons but most will want to work to some degree because research has shown, work is good for you. Even if older workers want more flexibility so they can travel and enjoy family, many will also want an opportunity on a part-time basis to be engaged in the labour force, and use the skills and knowledge they've developed over a lifetime.

I gave about a half dozen interviews on this topic and one interviewer turned the question around and asked what older workers can do about their workplace health and safety. The traditional advice still stands: eat right, get plenty of exercise, get regular check ups, etc. Be aware of changes in your body, the effects of aging, age-related health conditions, and the effects of medications you may have to take. When you think about it, that advice applies to everyone.

About Terry Bogyo:

Terry Bogyo Terry is the Director of Corporate Planning and Development for WorkSafeBC. His current responsibilities include environmental scanning, strategic planning and inter-jurisdictional comparisons.

Terry says of himself: I am a student of workers’ compensation systems. Many years ago I discovered two things about this area. First, workers’ comp and OH&S are of vital importance to people. Protecting, caring for and providing compensation to workers are important, noble and morally responsible endeavors. The second thing I learned was that no matter how much I knew about workers' comp/OH&S, there was always so much more to learn. This is an endlessly challenging area of study. My purpose, therefore, is not to lecture, but to reflect on the ideas and issues that are topical in this area... and to invite others to share in a learning experience. By adding your knowledge and insights, others with similar interests can participate in the discovery and study of this important domain.

His blog is "Workers' Compensation Perspectives".

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Comments (2 posted)

annie 06/14/2012 23:06:42

Hi Terry

How would you approach / manage an aging work force in a physically demanding industry such as hospitality? We try and mitigate risks of injury through identifying and eliminating hazards but unless the workers take on a personal responsibility to stay fit, their bodies will be punished. Many work long hours and fitnes is not something high on the 'free time' agenda.

Many of our employees have stayed with us for up to 15 years and now are feeling the effects of age which can affect their physical wellbeing, motivation and engagement levels and ultimately their performance.

How would you suggest we manage this proatively to avoid age related compensation claims?

Thank you in advance

Terry Bogyo 06/17/2012 20:35:47

There are three suggestions at the top of my list for proactively avoiding workers compensation claims among older workers.Â The first is raising awareness.Â If you know the vulnerabilities you and your workers can take some steps to avoid them. Â Â For example, older workers have disproportionally more slips and falls than younger workers in our jurisdiction.Â Knowing that, we can look at interventions that might help correct this. Â Footwear, flooring textures, spill management are obvious areas to begin with.Â
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Closely related is using the older workersâ€™ knowledge and experience to improve safety.Â Older workers, particularly those with lots of experience with a firm or in an particular industry, have a lot of knowledge about what works (and what didnâ€™t in the injuries they have seen over their careers).Â Using that experience can help you make adjustments to the workplace that can reduce risks and severity when injuries do happen.Â
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Finally, encourage health and wellness.Â Research is suggesting that improving fitness, managing the chronic conditions that increase with age, and achieving an appropriate weight have important protective effects for all workers, particularly older ones.Â Here, again, if workers are aware of the protective benefits of these actions they may be more likely to engage in them.
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You may find the articles â€œOld Schoolâ€ Â in WorkSafe Magazine Â Jan/Feb 2011 http://www.worksafebc.com/publications/newsletters/worksafe_magazine/Assets/PDF/wsm_jan_feb_2011.pdfÂ and â€œPrime Timeâ€ in WorkSafe Magazine Jan/Feb 2006 http://www.worksafebc.com/publications/newsletters/worksafe_magazine/Assets/PDF/wsm_jan_feb_2006.pdfÂ helpful in initiating a dialogue Â and designing your own approach.
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Terry