Human Resource Management: Implications of an Ageing Population

• Author: Gangaram Singh
• Pages: 138-148

138 HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Human Resource Management:

Implications of an Ageing

Population

An ageing population born mostly from higher life expectancy is a

phenomenon common to both developed and developing countries. This

development is likely to result in a greater number of older workers remaining

in the workforce or returning to work after they retire from their career jobs.

Here we focus at the organisational level and examine the human resource

management (HRM) considerations that might enter into the employment

of older workers. Human resource management is generally considered to

encompass five areas: strategic HRM analysis, HRM planning, staffing,

employee development and employee maintenance. After briefly examining

the pattern and some general labour market implications of workforce ageing,

we will consider, in the next five subsections, each of these areas in turn. In

the final section, concluding comments are provided.

The Commonwealth Caribbean, similar to the rest of the world, is

experiencing a significant ageing of its population. Figures reported by the

United Nations Secretariat show that by 2020 over 10 per cent of the

population of Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago will be older than 65 years.

Both Guyana (7 per cent) and Jamaica (8.4 per cent) are not far away from

the 10 per cent level (see Table 1). Many factors drive this trend upward. Life

expectancy in the region, for example, is likely to increase. With the exception

of Guyana, life expectancy will be over 70 years of age by 2010 (see Table 1).

Sixty-five years old is the traditional age at which workers retire. However,

evidence from around the world indicates that an increasing number of workers

in this age group are forced to, or elect to, return to work (Singh, 1998). The

period of employment between career employment and full retirement is

referred to as bridge employment (Doeringer, 1990). Bridge jobs are usually

part-time in nature, in a different occupation and sector than career jobs, and

wages are almost always lower than in career jobs (Doeringer, 1990). Bridge

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