Research

This paper introduces work status preferences as a nuanced variable to study work–family conflict among older adult caregivers. It proposes designing flexible work arrangements that align with the unique work challenges of older workers juggling paid work and caregiving responsibilities

The study examined the relationship between voluntary or involuntary working/retirement and perceived control and independence among older adults. Those who are not working but who would prefer to work reported the lowest levels of perceived control and independence in their lives.

As workforces age, organizations are challenged to provide human resource management policies and practices that are responsive to the needs of older workers. This research examined whether Flexible work arrangements (FWAs) were effective in alleviating three key challenges to work among older workers. 

This work examined characteristics uniquely predicting employment status at two-year follow-up among 280 informal caregivers aged 55-70 who were unemployed at baseline.  

While additional years of life present significant opportunities, the role of good health in achieving this potential is widely recognised. This paper describes data collected from seven longitudinal survey waves conducted over 14 years from 2006-2020 to support our understanding of the capabilities with which people are ageing in Aotearoa.

This research examined how employment and preferences around employment influenced the uptake of care-giving responsibilities among older workers 

This research investigated workability among older workers with and without arthritis. Both groups were impacted in their ability to work and enjoy life by pain and fatigue. 

This work assessed the impact of providing care and the conditions of care, such as balancing care and employment, on psychological well-being among older informal caregivers following the initial period of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

This research followed workers aged 57+ over two years to examine whether daytime fatigue (feeling tired or worn out) predicted retirement due to health or other reasons.

This work investigated the conditions under which retirement might benefit functional health using data on physical functioning among older workers 8 years pre- and post-retirement.

This research examined the role of retirement planning in the association of pre-retirement conditions with post-retirement resources. Findings support a role of financial planning in promoting well-being in retirement.

This research describes the three most common trajectories of material well-being with age in NZ. While a majority maintain a good level of living standards and health in later life, significant proportions experience material hardship and poor health in the decade prior to pension eligibility. 

This paper explores the challenges presented to older workers who combine paid work with caregiving responsibilities. We provide a profile of working caregivers aged 55+ and analyse the impact of combining paid work and care on their health, wellbeing and economic living standards. 

This work reports the validity of the measure of effort-work imbalance used in the research programme and focuses on comparing the experiences of full and part-time employees.

Report on perceptions of age discrimination in job search among older job seekers and perceptions of negative age-related stereotypes and discrimination in the workplace. Psychometric properties of the meta stereotype and discrimination indicators used in the research programme are reported.

A report on preliminary data from our 2020 survey regarding perceived impacts on wellbeing, employment, hardship assistance, and intentions to retire among older workers in Aotearoa New Zealand following the initial COVID-19 pandemic response.

This report assessed the structural, convergent and divergent validity of the UWES-9 as a measure of work engagement in the research programme.

Countries of Asia-Pacific comprise a diverse set of nations facing distinct social and demographic transformations. Understanding the health-related needs of workers in this region will inform research and policy agendas for the region.

This report presents data on experiences of motivation, opportunities, availability, and uptake of training from 1479 employees aged 55+ who responded to the 2018 New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement survey.