This wasn’t the blog I was expecting to write, being in the middle of new research on economic productivity of older workers (see here). And I rather expect to be following the proverbial lemming over the cliff given the controversial position of the issues involved. But here goes: Children – the best and worst thing I ever did. Why this topic now? I took a 15 minute break this morning and caught the broadcast of a Helen Simpson short story, ‘Café Society’ (see here); a biting commentary on the impact of motherhood on the careers of women. And it brought...
Yesterday, Angela was pleased to be able to attend the ILC-UK/renEWL/Uncertain Futures conference ‘Overcoming Inequalities: Addressing barriers to extending working lives’. The day included presentations from a large and impressive line-up of speakers, from the research project team, employer and third sector representatives and including a personal review of his last year’s work by John Cridland. Here she picks out some of the key issues. Structural inequalities Health and socio-economic inequalities, as well as ethnic and family structures, underpin many of the inequalities observed in achieving extended working lives. And the foundations for these inequalities are likely to have been...
Government estimates indicate that one in four of us currently in our 50s can realistically expect to live to 100. With this in mind it is essential that we stop seeing 50 as old or older. It makes no more sense to think about 50 or 60 year olds together with people of 80, 90 or above than doing so with young people thirty or forty years their junior. 50 is in reality the start of the lifetime second half. A new identity and a new image is called for. Meet New Middle Age, the generation from 50 to retirement – whenever that might be given the abolition of a...
