8261959 Working life expectancy in good and reduced workability among workers with favourable and unfavourable working conditions in The Netherlands

<h3>Objective</h3> Over the past ten years, the actual retirement age increased with over three years in The Netherlands. It is yet unknown, whether the increasing working years are accompanied by an increase in working years in good or reduced workability, or both. This study examines the trend in the ‘Working life expectancy’ (WLE) in good and reduced workability from 2010 to 2021, and examines differences among workers with favourable and unfavourable working conditions. <h3>Material and Methods</h3> Data from the Dutch Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (STREAM) was used, which includes observations in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021. STREAM was linked to register data regarding work status from Statistics Netherlands. WLE’s were estimated in working years in good and reduced workability, using MSM and ELECT in R. Covariates included sex, educational level and working conditions. The latter concerned physical work load, job demands, emotional demands, job autonomy and social support. <h3>Results</h3> WLE’s in both good and reduced workability increased gradually over time. There was no difference in WLE’s between men and women and educational level . Total WLE’s of workers with favourable and unfavourable working conditions were equal. However, workers with unfavourable working conditions had a higher WLE in reduced workability, and a lower WLE in good workability, compared to workers with favourable working conditions. <h3>Conclusion</h3> The extension of working lives is accompanied by an increase in working years in both good and reduced workability. All the working conditions examined are associated with the workability of workers’ remaining working years. Alleviating unfavourable working conditions may enable workers to continue to perform their work in good workability for longer.