Work ability of the public sector employees close to their retirement age is analysed on this presentation.

1. Work ability of the public
sector employees close to
their retirement age
Pauli Forma
Director of Working Life Services
Keva
Work2015-conference 20.8.2015.
University of Turku
Session: Health and Wellbeing at Work
19.8.2015 1

2. Background
• Extending working life careers and postponing
retirement are important aims of public policy in
many western countries.
• Retirement is determined by many circumstances,
e.g. economic situation, working conditions, family
situation and institutional setup of the pension
system.
• A crucial issue regarding postponing the retirement is
the work ability of the elderly workers who are
close to their retirement age.
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3. Aims of the study
1. To analyse physical and mental work ability of elderly
public sector employees (age around 60 years) in Finland.
– Work ability of elderly workers is compared to work ability of
all public sector workers.
– Factors associated with work ability are also analysed.
2. To analyse the plans of elderly public sector employees
concerning continuing at work and returning to work after
retirement.
– Factors associated with the plans are also analysed.
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4. The municipal sector and state
administration sector in Finland
The municipal
sector
The state
sector
Total number of employees 431 000 84 000
% of the Finnish labour force 20 3
% of women 75 49
Average age of the employees 46 years 46 years
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• The municipal sector provides basic public services for the residents
(child care, education, health and medical care and care for the elderly).
• Workload is physically or/and mentally demanding in many
occupations.
• The state administration consists of state central administration, regional
administration and State local administration.
• Workload is lighter because most occupations are administrative based.

5. Case Finland
• Because of the sustainability gap, longer working careers are
necessary in Finland.
• New pension reform is coming into force in 2017.
– The retirement age will rise gradually, however, also some
new paths for retirement will be introduced.
• There has been substantive activity focusing on improving
working conditions and wellbeing at work in Finland during
the past years.
• Therefore, there is wide interest in working ability of elderly
workers in Finland.
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6. The data
• Postal survey was conducted in autumn 2013.
• The response rate was 71, (N=3613).
• Sample for the survey was drawn from Keva’s
register.
• Public sector employees (the municipal sector and
state sector) who were going to reach their
retirement age between years 2014-2015 were
chosen for the sample.
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7. Structure of the data
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Municipal
sector
State
sector
Men, % (n) 22 (592) 43 (253)
Women, % (n) 78 (2099) 57 (340)
Average age 62 years 62 years
Respondents with university
degree, % (n)
27 (721) 35 (203)
Respondents who are married
or cohabiting, % (n)
76 (2034) 76 (449)

8. Questions used
• Work ability: How do you evaluate your work ability from
the viewpoint of physical/mental demands in your work?
1 Very good 2 Quite good 3 Moderate 4 Quite bad 5 Very bad
• Continuing at work: What are your thoughts concerning
retirement? Have you planned to retire…
1 Before your retirement age 2 At your retirement age
3 Later than on your own retirement age
• Returning to work: Currently, do you have plans to
participate in working life after your retirement?
1 Yes 2 No 3 Don’t know
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9. Subjective work ability of the elderly public
sector employees in Finland
24
45
23
6
1
25
51
21
3
1
0 20 40 60
Very good
Quite good
Moderate
Quite poor
Very poor
Mental work ability Physical work ability
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10. Subjective work ability (quite good or very
good) of public sector employees in Finland
80 87
69 73
0
20
40
60
80
100
Municipal sector State sector
Physical work ability
All employees*
Employees close to their retirement age
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73
88
75 77
0
20
40
60
80
100
Municipal sector State sector
Mental work ability
All employees*
Employees close to their retirement age
* Source: FIOH 2013 - Work and Health in Finland-study.

11. Subjective work ability of the public sector
employees according to education-level
21
10
23
40
39
46
48
45
27
34
22
13
0 % 50 % 100 %
Comprehensive
school (or less)
Vocational
school
Post-secondary
level
University
degree
Physical work ability
Very good Quite good Moderate
Quite poor Very poor
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16
19
23
36
51
52
54
46
29
25
19
14
0 % 50 % 100 %
Comprehensive
school (or less)
Vocational
school
Post secondary
level
University
degree
Mental work ability
Very good Quite good Moderate
Quite poor Very poor

12. Plans concerning continuing at work and
returning to work among elderly public sector
employees in Finland
18
53
29
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Yes No I do not
know
Returning to work
11
74
15
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Before own
retirement
age
Own
retirement
age
Later than
own
retirement
age
Continuing at work
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13. Regression analysis (OLS) on plans concerning
continuing at work, standardized regression
coefficients
0,081
-0,042
-0,021
0,216
0,077
0,042
-0,3 -0,1 0,1 0,3
Age
Woman*
State sector
Physical work ability***
Mental work ability**
Easing of work load*
19.8.2015 13* p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001.

14. Regression analysis (OLS) on plans concerning
returning to work after retirement, standardized
regression coefficients
-0,04
-0,051
-0,091
0,093
0,128
-0,015
-0,3 -0,1 0,1 0,3
Age**
Woman**
State sector***
Physical work ability***
Mental work ability***
Easing of work load
19.8.2015 14* p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001.

15. Conclusions
• Elderly public sector employees who are close to their
retirement age have in average a very good physical and
mental work ability in Finland.
• Selection: employees with poor work ability have retired
earlier.
• There are substantial differencies between employees with
different education level.
• Work ability is crucial when it comes to plans on continuing
and returning to work.
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16. Discussion
• As far as the work ability of elderly workers is
concerned, it seems possible to have longer working
careers and postpone retirement in the Finnish public
sector.
• Because of the differencies in work ability, it is
important to consider individual solutions and practices
in the end of the working career.
• In addition to work capacity, there are also other
issues crucial to extended working careers.
– Pressures to diminish the number of personnel in
the public sector
– Retirement as a norm.
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