Höher qualifizierte Angestellte als Lebenskraftkalkulierer - Eine Herausforderung für die betriebliche Alterspolitik

The fact that the successive increase of the statutory retirement age to 67 years poses a particular problem for employee groups engaged in high levels of physical labour has been frequently discussed. This article focuses on a group of employees for whom the extension of working life was long considered to be unproblematic: the higher qualified employees. On the basis of an empirical pilot study it is shown that it is especially the higher qualified employees with an acknowledged increase in work load who are exposed to increased performance pressure. With increased age they require longer periods of regeneration and also complain that they do not have sufficient leisure time to follow their own interests. At the same time they are concerned about their health and the quality of life after retirement. Results of the study show that as a reaction to increased work demands these employees plan a withdrawal from working life that is considerably earlier than the statutory retirement age. Establishments must therefore engage in negotiations with higher qualified employees about the third phase of their lives – especially in view of the lack of skilled personnel – and offer working conditions more suited to an ageing workforce if they want to keep this group of employees longer in the companies.