Rapid population ageing, the growth of generative artificial intelligence and the green transition are likely to lead to a substantial reallocation of jobs across firms, sectors and regions. These trends raise potentially important challenges for workers who may be at risk of losing their job, but also present new opportunities for career progression, better wages, and better-quality jobs. With longer lifespans, many workers may also rethink their career ambitions, including seeking new roles before retirement after years in the same job or switching to more flexible jobs that support skill development while accommodating health and caregiving needs later in their careers. Creating supportive frameworks that enable workers to navigate this transition effectively are crucial to harness the benefits of these transformative changes.
Despite the changing environment, however, many mid-to-late career workers face substantial difficulties when seeking career or job changes. According to a joint OECD/Generation survey in 2022, lack of relevant job experience, job-search skills and health were the three most cited barriers among workers aged 45 looking to make a successful job transition. Age discrimination still limits opportunities for career growth and promotion. Only 13% of employers want to hire a candidate aged 55‑65 compared to 47% willing to recruit 30‑44 year‑olds. Eliminating these barriers and supporting mid-to-late career workers who need or want to change job or career is essential for supporting longer working lives and a more inclusive labour force.
This report builds on OECD’s cross-country report Promoting Better Career Choices for Longer Working Lives published in March 2024 and is the first in a sequence of reports looking into the challenges, policies and practices in selected OECD countries. Other countries covered will include Austria, Belgium, Czechia and the United States. As in other countries, career mobility declines with age in the United Kingdom and many older workers with low skills find themselves in poor quality jobs. The report highlights job mobility trends as workers age, barriers facing older workers and recommendations to support reforms concerning labour and educational institutions, and business in the United Kingdom to ensure that experienced workers can continue to contribute meaningfully to the economy while also enhancing their own job satisfaction and career fulfilment.
This report on the United Kingdom is very timely in view of the just published White Paper on Employment, published by the new UK Government, which identifies many of the issues addressed in this report as a priority area for future reform.