Beyond the 10 000 steps: Managing less visible aspects of healthy ageing at work

Lead Research Organisation: University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Business School

Abstract

Working with employers, employees, professional bodies and other key stakeholders this project will co-design innovative workplace interventions to support the health and well-being of older workers (aged 50+), enabling them to stay in paid work for longer and increasing their overall well-being.

Context: There is an urgent need to make the health of older workers more visible. One in three workers in the UK are aged 50+, and this figure is set to rise in coming decades. 44% of people aged 50-64 have a long- term health condition, and 21% of older workers who leave the labour market 'early' (before State Pension Age) cite health problems as the primary reason for leaving. New research is urgently needed to identify the most appropriate actions employers can take to prevent health conditions from developing in their older workforce, and to support older employees who have existing health problems. It is important to fill these gaps in our understanding because, with the right workplace supports in place, older people are more likely to be able to extend their working lives even if they experience long-term health issues. This urgency has been heightened by the Covid-19 pandemic as both older workers and their employers reassess health needs and risks associated with older age, and consider alternative forms of working.

We know that the nature and quality of people's work influences their health and that, conversely, people's state of health influences their ability to work. What is less well-understood is how the relationship between work and health changes over time as people grow older. The experiences and needs of older workers have tended to be overlooked in previous research about work and health. When older workers have been considered, not enough attention has been paid to inequalities between different groups. We know little about how older workers' health and well-being is influenced by factors such as gender, ethnicity, social class, occupation, type of employment, and unpaid caring roles. Moreover, some aspects of health and wellbeing that particularly affect older workers, such as menopause, dementia, and financial stability, are especially hidden.

Aim and objectives: Building upon existing research, this project will work with employers, older workers (including self-employed) and a range of stakeholders to deepen understanding of the ways in which physical, mental and financial well-being interact with workplace culture and supports to constrain or enable opportunities for productive later-life employment. These findings will be used to co-design a suite of innovative products and data-driven interventions to improve the health, well-being and financial stability of older workers. Our co-designed outputs will provide businesses and social enterprises with fit-for-purpose and scalable products, services and business models, which support people as they age.

Potential application and benefits: The potential impact will be significant - encouraging increased industry investment in healthy ageing at work so that people can remain active, productive, independent and socially connected across generations for as long as possible, thereby contributing to the Healthy Ageing Challenge mission of ensuring that 'people can enjoy at least five extra healthy, independent years of life by 2035', whilst also supporting the UK policy goal of extending working life beyond traditional retirement ages. Better support for older workers will allow employers to retain experienced staff and avoid the costs of replacing them. The translation and adoption of interventions within the workplace will help to increase productivity, build resilience and sustainability within the ageing workforce, and create new market opportunities to promote economic growth.
 
Description The overall findings pointed to workplace factors being crucial to the ways in which individuals experiencing health problems navigate their attitudes, decisions and actions around later-life working and retirement. Some of these aspects are well-known, e.g. negative effects of shift-work, impact of sedentary occupations; while others are intensifying, namely stress due to high workload, work intensification and staff shortages.
A significant proportion of respondents highlighted key barriers to accessing health and well-being support at work. Barriers included: fear of multiple and intersectional stigmas, i.e. being labelled as old and ill; difficulties of raising issues with line managers who might not be equipped to have conversations and may well be of a different age and gender influencing empathy; participants overwhelmingly reported a sense of personal responsibility for their health 'it's up to me to fix/cope'; and low expectations of their employer.
Line managers are critical to supporting healthy ageing at work as they are the very visible face of a supportive culture and also enact a supportive climate of health and well-being support. Policies are ineffectual if not adopted by line managers, so organisations should prioritise training of line managers in age-related issues at work.
Sleep disruption emerged as a major 'hidden' health issue. This was reported by three-quarters of respondents (and confirmed via wearable data from 48 of the original participants who were followed up over 9 months). Sleep disruption arose from many different health issues. The most common were: general insomnia associated with growing older; menopause symptoms; pain; stress arising from work and/or domestic situations; needing to urinate more during the night. Crucially this sleep disruption was severe enough to have ongoing impacts on work performance.
An overarching finding when all the data sources were put together is that individuals may lack adequate understanding into their own health and how it influences and is influenced by their work. The co-design process highlighted a pressing need for being able to better reflect on and review their health in order to be able to take action. Such action may lead to conversations with line managers or health specialists; equally it might mean people being able to more easily take advantage of the existing health services and supports offered by their employer, i.e. once they understand their own needs, they are better equipped to seek the supports most appropriate to them.
Exploitation Route Line Manager training - dissemination of workshops
Sleep Action through their Workplace Accreditation programme
SHAW App development for supporting workers over 50 to reflect and communicate their health issues at work
Focusing on supporting financial well-being as part of extending working lives agendas and support packages for over 50s at work
Sectors Other

 
Description Outcomes i. Working with Age Scotland to provide evidence for, and deliver and evaluate line manager training to over 1,100 Line Managers across Scotland, Training was targeted to improve age awareness to equip line managers to have these sensitive conversations around age and health. ii. Working with Sleep Action (formerly Sleep Scotland) to pilot a new accreditation model for employers to regard sleep as an organisational issue which can be supported as part of employees' health and well-being needs. iii. Designing and testing a bespoke web-based App (see image of prototype below), which uses a combination of self-assessed questions drawn from validated scales, and AI (LLM) technology to help individuals Reflect on and Review their health and work, and then take Action to get the support they need. iv. Consulting with representatives from the UK's Department for Work and Pensions as they refine their offering to employers and employees around the 'Mid-life MoT', designed to ensure that workers can continue to develop and thrive in their mid-later life career stages.
Sector Other
 
Description Line Manager Training for Ageism Awareness at Work
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
Impact Line Managers reported being more aware over issues around gendered ageism than before their training. Follow up impact-based interviews will be conducted in 2024.
 
Description Published on www.gov.uk (on 22/11) written evidence on the Impact of the Rising Cost of Living for Women. Call for evidence by the Women and Equalities Committee, UK Government. Submitted on 7/11.
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
 
Description Sleep and Work - Accreditation model for the workplace
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Influenced training of practitioners or researchers
 
Description UK Parliament, Women and Equalities Committee, The rights of older people (Call for evidence) - Labour Market Access
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Participation in a guidance/advisory committee
 
Description Caring For Carers: Innovating For Workplace Health And Wellbeing Support
Amount £62,500 (GBP)
Organisation United Kingdom Research and Innovation 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 08/2023 
End 08/2024
 
Title Supporting Healthy Ageing at Work 
Description Semi-structured interviews of 139 project participants, interviewed about their experiences of hidden health at work (menopause, cognitive decline/change, financial well-being, unpaid care). 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2024 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact Better understanding how workers over 50 can be supported by their organisations to extending working lives. 
 
Description Age Scotland collaboration to create line manager training workshops (under the Workplace Equalities Fund) 
Organisation Age UK
Department Age Scotland
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution SHAW Project provided findings around role of line managers in supporting healthy ageing at work. These findings comprised the foundation for the content of their 1 hour webinar and 3 hour workshops on Line Mangers and ageism at work. SHAW project members continue to work closely with Age Scotland to monitor the feedback from these webinars/workshops each fortnight. Workshop delivery commenced in January 2023. As at 28/2, Age Scotland have delivered 11 separate workshops to 113 attendees (line managers), with 36 further workshops in the diary over the next quarter. SHAW continue to work closely with Age Scotland to monitor and track potential impact.
Collaborator Contribution Age Scotland have provided the infrastructure to establish the training, the network of organisations to enrol in the training and the trainers to deliver the training. They are also tracking feedback and evaluation.
Impact None as yet as the training has only just commenced. We envisage outputs towards the end of 2023.
Start Year 2023
 
Description Business in the Community 
Organisation Business in the Community
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution Collaborating with Business in the Community on two of their existing Schemes. 1. Return to work scheme for older workers; and 2. Well-being at Work Scheme. SHAW project have provided evidence to explore funding funding options as Co-Investigators.
Collaborator Contribution Their own findings, and management time.
Impact Joint workshop on Managing Menopause in the Workplace at the Supporting Healthy Ageing at Work conference in December 2023
Start Year 2022
 
Description Department of Work and Pensions support in dissemination of SHAW project research 
Organisation Department for Work and Pensions
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution Access to audiences, access to funding, planning collaborations
Collaborator Contribution Access to audiences, access to funding
Impact Invited speakers at SHAW project events DWP contacts have opened contacts to specific areas of interest, e.g. menopause and financial well-being (Midlife MOT)
Start Year 2023
 
Description Sleep Scotland collaboration to provide Sleep for Wellbeing training to Wellbeing champions within organisational settings. 
Organisation Sleep Scotland
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution SHAW Project provided Sleep Scotland with SHAW project findings to help them develop their 'Sleep for Wellbeing' course aimed at organisations supporting their employees. Analysis of secondary data (ELSA and Understanding Society) datasets as well as primary data from SHAW Work Package 2 interviews contributed to a report for Sleep Scotland, which they are drawing upon to develop their Sleep for Wellbeing intervention. This will be piloted in April/May and launched in early summer 2023.
Collaborator Contribution Sleep Scotland have provided the experience of delivering sleep-related interventions, and all of the infrastructure and resourcing required to create and deliver this intervention. SHAW project are their research partner on this initiative, which has come about due to our research findings in this area.
Impact No outputs as yet.
Start Year 2023
 
Description University of Edinburgh as testing site for SHAW digital health solution 
Organisation University of Edinburgh
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution University of Edinburgh as testing site for SHAW digital health solution
Collaborator Contribution The Information Services Group (ISG) of the University of Edinburgh have offered to act as a testing site for the SHAW App when development is ready (April/May 2024)
Impact Move to planning/active phase with Management. ISG have 800 staff for SHAW App testing for phase 2. We are currently in discussions with SHAW's App developer to determine how testing can be done at this scale.
Start Year 2023
 
Title SHAW App 
Description The IP covers the concept behind the SHAW App which is currently being developed. 
IP Reference  
Protection Patent / Patent application
Year Protection Granted 2023
Licensed No
Impact The SHAW App is registered on the Edinburgh Innovations Disclosure website.
 
Title Supporting Healthy Ageing at Work (SHAW) App 
Description The SHAW App has been designed and tested as a bespoke web-based App, which uses a combination of self-assessed questions drawn from validated scales, and AI (LLM) technology to help individuals Reflect on and Review their health and work, and then take Action to get the support they need. 
Type Of Technology Webtool/Application 
Year Produced 2024 
Impact The App is currently being developed to testable prototype 
 
Description "ASC-ISAR - Interdisciplinary Seminars on Ageing Research (link: https://liu.se/en/article/isar) • Presentation title: Ageism, ableism and older workers" 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Mariska van der Horst was an invited speaker. She gave a presentation about her work. She mainly talked about previous project about ageism and ableism, but also linked this to SHAW project and shortly discussed some of the papers we are working on.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Audit Scotland - seminar on menopause at work 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Co-I (Airey) and Post-Doctoral Research Fellow (Steffan) were invited to present SHAW findings at an internal staff webinar, to inform Audit Scotland staff about what is being done elsewhere in the public sector (and in other sectors) to support older workers and manage the impact of an ageing workforce on service delivery and working practices.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description BSA Work, Employment & Society Conference 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Present preliminary results from project - Sleep and work paper
Present preliminary results from project - self-employed paper
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Brown Bag Seminar 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Presentation at Centre for Ageing Better (CAB) brown bag seminar on SHAW findings and dissemination plans.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description DWP Roadshow - SCADR University of Glasgow 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact DWP Roadshow to report Areas of Research Interest - series of Workshops, sharing of impact
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Enlightened conversations - What it means to age well podcast 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Wendy Loretto (PI) participated in a podcast titled "What it means to age well", referencing current SHAW research, as part of the UEBS Global Alumni event. 37 minutes. https://www.buzzsprout.com/2221324/13252123-what-it-means-to-age-well. The podcast is also on the SHAW website in the updates section.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Equality, Diversity & Inclusion conference in London at City, University of London. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Presentation of conference paper: Menopause disclosure at work: inclusion through a receptive organisational audience (Steffan & Loretto). The paper received the Stream award for Best Paper.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Executive MBA Open Night 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Talk on Age and Responsible Employer based on SHAW findings. To give potential EMBA students an insight into research-led teaching
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description FlushFest (Menopause Festival in Edinburgh) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Presentation on menopause and networking opportunity with practitioners in supporting menopause at work
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Good Life Means Also Good Working Life. What Can Organizations Do? 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Presentation at European Group of Organisation Studies Conference Sub-Plenary.SHAW discussed as part of a broader presentation on the research into healthy ageing at work. Other panellists: Teresina Torre (Uni of Genoa), Gilda Antonelli (Uni of Sannio) and Lakshmi Ramarajan (Harvard Business School).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Guest lecture to UoE MSc HRM/IHRM and MiM students at University of Edinburgh 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact WL was invited to present to these students on a guest lecture focusing on work-place well-being. Attended by about 70 students, with strong interest.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022,2023
 
Description HRM2 - MSc student lecture on supporting workers over 50 at work 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Lecture on HRM on supporting workers over 50 at work, drawing on SHAW for two clear inputs. First, the SHAW findings around ageism and healthy ageing at work were provided as context, and the intervention was provided as an example of supporting healthy ageing at work. Second, SHAW project was used as an example of how research outputs can inform practice (Age Scotland).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Healthy Ageing Challenge Conference 2022 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact In 2022, WL, BS, JJ, KH, and BD attended the Healthy Ageing Conference in London, UK to (1) attend the conference workshop on Impact (BS); (2) present a poster and artefacts in relation to WP2 early stage co-design research; and (3) communicate with colleagues on other research projects involving healthy ageing.

In 2023, we presented a poster and also demonstrated the SHAW App.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022,2023
 
Description Innovate UK/KTN Videocast Series - Age Innovators 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Videocast to disseminate impact activities created throughout the SHAW project. Showcasing collaboration activities with Age Scotland. Launched on International Women's Day 2024.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Institute of Government & Public Policy 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Advancing Menopause in the Workplace Conference. Reporting on SHAW (and other) research outcomes on supporting menopause in the workplace. A focus on the viability of flexible work for different job types and the importance of looking beyond policy
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Interview for the Scotsman newspaper, 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Interview given to the Scotsman to highlight the research undertaken by the SHAW project, in particular, and the work of the University of Edinburgh Business School more generally.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://web.archive.org/web/20220113110203/https://www.scotsman.com/business/how-the-university-of-e...
 
Description London Metropolitan Police, Counter Terrorism Unit 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact National Inclusion Week. Presentation of ageing at work
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description London Vet Show 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact BS was invited to give a keynote speech about research on menopause, drawing on findings from SHAW
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Meeting with Treasury Officials at their offices in Darlington 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Discussed SHAW project findings and the APP as part of wider meeting to discuss research on ageing being conducted by Newcastle University colleagues.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Menopause in the Workplace conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Hosted by Holyrood Insights, the conference brought together medical, HR, legal and research insights in to how to manage menopause in the workplace, with the aim of informing practice and policy.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Presentation at the Bayes Centre seminar: Data Driven Innovation for Healthy Ageing 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Dr Airey gave a presentation entitled 'Enabling productive later life employment', at this seminar aimed at public, private and third sector organisations. Approximately 100 individuals attended the seminar, and this led to enquiries from a range of start-up companies, NHS employees and other academics keen to know more about the research and/or become involved in the research.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://edinburghbioquarter.com/data-driven-innovation-for-healthy-ageing/
 
Description SBDRP Impact Workshop 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact To present SHAW impact and learn about how other projects within the SBDRP programme approach impact.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description SHAW end of project conference and roadshow 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Present key findings and development of the SHAW App. Relationship and network building.

"Location: The Core Newcastle Helix, Newcastle upon Tyne
Purpose: The event, organised by SHAW and hosted by Centre for Ageing and Inequalities at Newcastle University Business School, aims to bring employers from Newcastle together in a conversation about how to develop and sustain age-inclusive workplaces and provide solutions to implement into working practices.
Project Speakers: Dr David Lain (University of Newcastle, SHAW); Pam Perry (Newcastle City Council); James Bishop (DWP); Professor Sarah Vickerstaff (University of Kent); Professor Wendy Loretto (SHAW); Dr Kiersten Hay (SHAW); Dr Evan Morgan (SHAW).
"Location: Alliance Manchester Business School
Purpose: The event, organised by SHAW and hosted by Work and Equalities Institute at Alliance Manchester Business School, aims to bring employers from Manchester and Greater Manchester area together in a conversation about how to develop and sustain age-inclusive workplaces and provide solutions to implement into working practices.
Project Speakers: Professor Sheena Johnson (Work and Equalities Institute, Alliance Manchester Business School); Professor Wendy Loretto (SHAW); Dr Kiersten Hay (SHAW); Dr Evan Morgan (SHAW); Paul McGarry, (Greater Manchester Combined Authority Ageing Hub); Kim Chaplain (Centre for Ageing Better), Steven Phillips (DWP) "
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Supporting Healthy Ageing at Work presentation 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Presentation of SHAW Findings to potential collaborator to Greater Manchester Combined Authority
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description UEBS Alunmi panel on ECR pathways. 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact To illustrate how the SHAW project had advanced JJs career development through project-related activities.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description University of Edinburgh Business School Impact Video 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Impact conversation demonstrating SHAW activities and relevant Impact to ageing at work (filmed in May 2023). https://media.ed.ac.uk/media/1_rnq7t6pd
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Women and Equalities Committee 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact "Following up on PI (WL) submitting written evidence to the Women and Equalities Committee's inquiry into the rights of older people, PI presented a session which explored ageist stereotypes and discrimination in recruitment, progression, older people's decisions around leaving the labour market and retirement, and policies to help extend working lives.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023