This document discusses why aging populations and labor markets are important topics, especially at the local level. It notes that employment rates for older workers vary significantly across OECD countries, and that once unemployed, older workers face high risks of long-term unemployment. The OECD has conducted various reviews on policies to promote longer working lives. These reviews recommend actions like pension reforms, training opportunities, and improving work environments. However, the challenges of aging populations are not uniform across all local areas, so policies need to be implemented at the local level to address specific local issues.

1. WHY IS AGEING AN IMPORTANT TOPIC
FOR THE LABOUR MARKET
AND
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT AT LOCAL LEVEL?
Anne Sonnet, Project Leader
Nicola Duell, Consultant
Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, OECD
OECD LEED Expert Roundtable
Local economic strategies for ageing labour markets
OECD, Paris, 31 March 2015

2. Source: OECD estimates based on national labour force surveys.
82% of older people (aged 55 64) in Iceland were employed in 2013 but this falls to only 48% in
Slovenia. Most countries plan to increase the official age for receiving a pension beyond 65 but, on
average in the OECD, only 20% of people aged 65-69 were working in 2013 compared with 67% in the
age group 55-59 and 42% in the age group 60-64.
Opportunities to work at an older age vary
considerably across OECD countries
2
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
55-59 60-64 65-69 OECD 55-59 OECD 60-64 OECD 65-69
Employment rates for people aged 55-59, 60-64 and 65-69, OECD countries, 2013
As a percentage of the age group

3. Once unemployed, older workers face a high risk of
either never returning to work or remaining out of
work for a long period
AUT
BEL
CZE
DNK
EST
FIN
FRA
DEU
GRC
HUN
ISL
IRL
ITA
LUX
NLD
NOR
POL
PRT SVK
SVN
ESP
SWE
GBR
CHE
EU21
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
25-54
55+
Incidence of long-term unemploymenta by age groups, OECD countries, 2013
As a percentage of unemployed by age
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4. WHAT SHOULD BE DONE
TO PROMOTE
LONGER AND BETTER WORKING LIVES ?

5. 2003-2006 review on older workers
 21 country reports:
Ageing and Employment Policies
 And a synthesis report (2006):
Live Longer, Work Longer
 Agenda for policy actions in three broad
areas to encourage work at an older age:
1. Rewarding work
2. Changing employer practices
3. Improving employability
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6. OECD’s policy agenda to
encourage work at an older age
Legislation and
information campaigns
to promote age diversity
Align labour costs with
productivity
Help protect employment
opportunities not jobs
GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYERS
UNIONS
CIVIL SOCIETY
Rewarding work
Changing employer practices
Pension reform to cut
implicit tax on working
Close other early
retirement pathways
Give better options for
phased retirement
Provide suitable training
opportunities at all ages
Give better help for older
jobseekers
Improve the work
environment
Improving employability
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7. WORKING BETTER WITH AGE
THE NEW OECD REVIEW OF POLICIES TO IMPROVE LABOUR MARKET PROSPECTS
FOR OLDER WORKERS

8.  Comparative policy review of recent reforms and
measures and a scoreboard for older workers:
www.oecd.org/els/employment/olderworkers
 Seven country case studies: Norway (June 2013),
France (January 2014), Netherlands (April 2014),
Switzerland (October 2014), Poland (March 2015),
Denmark (mid-2015) and Korea (end-2015)
 Synthesis report Working Better with Age (end-2015)
 OECD Labour Ministerial meeting (January 2016):
The OECD Charter for Promoting Longer Working Lives:
Better Employment Choices and Opportunities
A follow-up review launched in 2011 to assess
progress and what still needs to be done
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9. NOT ALL LOCAL AREAS FACE THE SAME
CHALLENGES
AND
POLICY ACTIONS TO ENCOURAGE
WORK AT AN OLDER AGE HAVE TO BE
IMPLEMENTED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL

10. Thank you!
For further information:
http://www.oecd.org/els/employment/olderworkers
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