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Published on: February 14, 2014
Job demands and work ability at older ages
Richard W Johnson1, Gordon B T Mermin, Matthew Resseger
1The Urban Institute, Washington, DC 20037, USA. rjohnson@urban.org
Journal of Aging & Social Policy
|April 15, 2011
Summary
Job demands impact retirement timing. Physical job demands decreased, potentially aiding older workers, but rising cognitive job demands may pose challenges for some. This research analyzes these trends.
Area of Science:
- Labor Economics
- Sociology of Work
- Gerontology
Background:
- Worker retirement timing is influenced by job characteristics.
- Understanding shifts in occupational demands is crucial for workforce planning.
- The aging workforce necessitates research into factors affecting later-life employment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze trends in physically and cognitively demanding occupations in the US workforce.
- To assess the impact of these occupational shifts on older workers' retirement options.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) and the Current Population Survey (CPS).
- Matched occupational characteristics to individual worker data for analysis.
- Examined changes in the prevalence of physically and cognitively demanding jobs between 1971 and 2006.
Main Results:
- In 2006, 7% of US workers held highly physically demanding jobs, and 35% held highly cognitively demanding jobs.
- The proportion of workers in physically demanding jobs decreased by approximately 16.7% from 1971 to 2006.
- The share of workers in cognitively demanding jobs rose by over 33.3% during the same period.
Conclusions:
- The decline in physically demanding work may enhance employment opportunities for older adults.
- The increase in cognitively demanding jobs could present limitations for some older workers nearing retirement.
- Future research should explore strategies to support older workers in cognitively demanding roles.
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