Changes In Health And Safety Levels Within Organizations Due To The Workplace Flexibility Of Older Women In Bulgaria

The proportion of older people within the Bulgarian population is increasing. Due to declining fertility and emigration waves in the 1990-ies, as well as the longer life expectancy, Bulgaria is facing one of the highest old-age-dependency ratios in the Europe. Eurostat data show that in 2060 the old-age-dependency ratio for the country will reach 63.54 and the average for the EU member states (EU 27) will be 53.47. The paper focuses on a research conducted within the time period July-August 2006, under the name "The Use of the Potential of Workers Aged from 50 to 64 years". The research was used in the consequent two years to reveal some implications on the altering of the health and safety levels within the organizations due to the employment flexibility forms used for older women. The primary objective of the research was to examine the degree in which work potential of the older workers, aged 50-65, is used and to create an understanding which are the main flexible employment practices spread out for this age group. The secondary objective realized on a post-field stage was to determine how and in what direction these employment practices affect the health and safety levels within the organizations. The research revealed the following major points: - advantages and disadvantages of this group of employees, aged 50-65, as perceived by the respondents in connection to the age profile of the group; - the recruitment and selection of older workforce; - the usage of flexible employment practices – in general and for this specific group in particular; - the notion of flexible employees' qualities; - the human resource policies and practices used by the organizations in regard to older workers - the perception of future demographic changes and their impact on the HRM in the organization.