Ageing populations face economic challenges at both the individual and group level. Associate professor of health care policy Nicole Maestas, PhD, and department of health care policy research assistant Michael Jetsupphasuk speak about older workers in a chapter titled “What do older workers want?” included in the “Live Long and Prosper? The Economics of Ageing Populations”, book edited by David Bloom, PhD, Clarence James Gamble Professor of Economics and Demography at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

In their chapter, Maestas and Jetsupphasuk highlight that the employee pool is growing slower as workers age and leave the workforce. This slows economic growth and increases the cost of programs such a Social Security. The authors suggest that older individuals may want to work longer but only if employers offer appealing jobs.

An estimated 32% of workers aged 62-71 have previously retired and rejoined the workforce. Workers among this age group desire flexible schedules with more paid time off, a low amount of physical tasks, and work autonomy instead of an excess of teamwork. If employers can create positions that appeal to these wants, workers may be more willing to stay in the workforce as they age.

This book also includes a chapter by professor of health care policy Thomas G. McGuire, PhD, on “Cutting Medicare beneficiaries in on savings from managed healthcare in Medicare”.