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How Are Employers Responding to an Aging Workforce?

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  • Robert L. Clark
  • Beth M. Ritter

Abstract

The American population is aging and changes in the population’s age structure are leading to an aging of the nation’s workforce. In addition, changes to age specific participation rates are exacerbating the aging of the national labor force. An important challenge for firms and organizations is how does workforce aging affect labor costs, productivity and the sustainability of the organization. This paper examines employer responses to workforce aging including changes retirement policies, modification in working conditions, the adoption of phased retirement plans, and reforming other employee benefits.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert L. Clark & Beth M. Ritter, 2020. "How Are Employers Responding to an Aging Workforce?," NBER Working Papers 26633, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:26633
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Daron Acemoglu & Pascual Restrepo, 2022. "Demographics and Automation," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 89(1), pages 1-44.
    2. Robert Clark & Linda Ghent, 2010. "Strategic HR Management with an Aging Workforce: Using Demographic Models to Determine Optimal Employment Policies," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 29(1), pages 65-80, February.
    3. Steven G. Allen, 2019. "Demand for Older Workers: What Do Economists Think? What Are Firms Doing?," NBER Working Papers 26597, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Daron Acemoglu & Pascual Restrepo, 2018. "Demographics and Automation," Boston University - Department of Economics - Working Papers Series dp-299, Boston University - Department of Economics.
    5. Robert L. Clark & Steven Nyce & Beth Ritter & John B. Shoven, 2019. "Employer Concerns and Responses to an Aging Workforce," NBER Working Papers 25572, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Cited by:

    1. Eva Eisch & Paulina Kuper & Lara Lindert & Kyung-Eun (Anna) Choi, 2022. "Working Conditions of Occupational Physicians—A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-30, May.
    2. Henkens, Kène & van Dalen, Hendrik Peter & van Solinge, Hanna, 2021. "The rhetoric and reality of phased retirement policies," Other publications TiSEM 0e39c6dd-3349-4842-a40b-e, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    3. Bruce Fallick & Christopher L. Foote, 2022. "The Impact of the Age Distribution on Unemployment: Evidence from US States," Working Papers 22-15, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods

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