Older and caregiving employees:
the new culture of longer working lives

Europe is ageing, and so is its workforce. In times of demographic change, the concept of so-called “silver work” is becoming increasingly important. More and more people work beyond the classic retirement age or return to working life after a period of retirement.

Under the guiding concept of the silver transformation, a paradigm shift has been emerging, not only since the adoption of the Council conclusions on supporting older people in realising their potential in the labour market and in society1 in June 2025. Instead of primarily raising the statutory retirement age, some member states increasingly rely on voluntary incentives for longer employment, for example through flexible transitions into retirement, continuing professional development, and targeted investments in occupational safety and health. Such measures are intended to enable older employees to maintain their physical and mental health, develop their skills, and participate in working life with motivation.

Older workers contribute valuable experience, stability, and knowledge to the world of work. Nevertheless, age-related physical and cognitive changes must be taken into account. Ergonomic workplaces, age-appropriate assistance systems, and flexible working time models are not conveniences for silver workers, but essential prerequisites for healthy and sustainable long-term work. Companies that provide such adjustments not only strengthen the health of their workforce but also retain experienced professionals for longer. An important resource in view of the shortage of skilled workers.

Alongside the extension of working life, the balance between work and caregiving is increasingly moving into the focus of occupational safety. Many workers in Europe take on caregiving tasks in addition to their jobs, whether for relatives or other close persons. This double burden is physically, mentally, and organisationally demanding. A study from North Rhine-Westphalia shows the pressure on employees who provide care, with effects not only on the individuals themselves but also on the company.2

The European Commission has sent clear signals with its care strategy3. It calls for better support measures for caregiving relatives, for example through publicly funded family care leave models, training, psychosocial services, and the expansion of professional care infrastructure. The basis for this also includes the directive on improving the work-life balance4, which had to be transposed into national law by 2022, in particular with regard to non-transferable care and parental leave as well as protection against discrimination.

The growing number of silver workers and caregiving relatives presents occupational safety with new challenges, while also creating opportunities for a future-proof protection system. Prevention is at the centre of this. Risk assessments must systematically take age-related limitations into account. A broader view of prevention is needed, one that integrates individual life situations and biographies. Flexible working hours and psychosocial support services are not merely HR topics, but integral components of modern occupational safety.

Finally, protecting older and caregiving employees is also a key factor for the resilience of the entire labour market. If their potential can be fostered and their burdens reduced, a more robust and more solidarity-based working environment emerges, one that approaches demographic change not as a problem but as a challenge to be tackled proactively.