Research on Barriers and Opportunities to Workforce Participation for Older Workers
About
Newfoundland and Labrador’s workforce is shrinking and aging fast, perhaps the fastest in the Country. We must consider a multipronged approach to growing our labour force and ensuring that those who want to remain active in the labour force can and are supported. Approaches include, Immigration, repatriation, creating a province of choice for youth, increased birth levels and ensuring older workers can remain in the workforce longer if they choose.
Primary Research Objectives:
- Understand barriers that currently exist for older workers that want to remain in the workforce.
- Examine potential contribution of older workers to the labour market: Estimate number of workers over the age of 50 in Newfoundland and Labrador that would remain in the workforce if they could.
- Understand employer attitudes towards older workers.
- Develop recommendations to remove barriers and increase workforce participation of older workers.
Who
Research led by St. John’s Board of Trade.
Where
All areas of Newfoundland & Labrador
When
October 2019 – February 2022 *This research project is completed.
Research Project Deliverables
It’s estimated that as many as 43,000 older workers would potentially attach to the workforce if the right circumstances presented themselves.
If this population of persons 55+ were added to the workforce, with all their skills and experience, a more diverse and multi-generational workforce would result.
This slide deck was presented at a Stakeholder Briefing on March 15, 2022.
This video was presented at the NL Workforce Innovators Roundtable 2021 on October 5.
