Citation

Williams SN, Crumpton LL. Int. J. Ind. Ergonomics 1997; 20(3): 241-249.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Designing work tasks and work environments that are appropriate for aging employees has become a growing area of interest in the United States and many European countries. Demographic indicators suggest a significant increase in the number of older employees composing the future working population. Research indicates that most workers experience a decline in work ability as they age if no measures for maintaining work ability are taken (Ilmarinen, 1995). However, to evaluate characteristics of this decline in the work ability of older workers, age-related changes in performance capabilities must be identified. Therefore, the work ability index developed by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health was used to assess the work ability of university employees. Reference values listed in the work ability index compiled from an extensive Finnish follow-up study were used to compare the work ability of university employees who ranged from 50 to 55 years of age. Work ability values of the university employees were slightly higher than the reference values developed from previous research studies.