"DIG's project has a broad perspective that includes older people in the workforce, but also consumers in the economy," she says.
Kari Østerud, head of the Knowledge Centre for Longer Working Lives
Working together on research on seniors in the workforce
DIG and the Knowledge Center for Longer Working Lives will collaborate on research on how the workforce can facilitate employees staying longer in work, thereby helping to address societal challenges with an aging population.
The Knowledge Center will become a "bridging partner" in DIG with a special interest in research on "the silver economy." This will involve adapting both the workforce and the economy in general to an aging population.
Increasing need for knowledge
"We aim to gain more knowledge on how to motivate employees to stay longer in work. This is the goal of the collaboration between DIG and the Knowledge Centre," say Professors Therese Egeland and Inger G. Stensaker at DIG. Through more research and by disseminating and communicating knowledge, DIG and the Knowledge Centre will take a step further in addressing the fundamental challenge facing the Norwegian workforce in the coming years – how to get enough people to fill all the jobs that need to be filled.
DIG expands its outreach
The research center DIG at NHH focuses on two megatrends: AI in Business and the Silver Economy. The Silver Economy will require adapting the economy, society, and the workforce to an aging population and a more sustainable society. For employees who have the opportunity to continue working a few extra years, this can also contribute to better health. At the same time, it is economically interesting for businesses and can increase value creation if more people stay longer in work.
The Knowledge Center is the first new partner to enter into a partnership with DIG after the research center decided to expand its operations. "We will draw on their expertise and conduct research projects for them," say Professors Egeland and Stensaker.
Bridging partner
The Knowledge Center will gain the status of "Bridging partner" in DIG. This means that DIG will be able to use the Knowledge Centre as a facilitator in its work, a disseminator of knowledge, and a bridge to the workforce and its actors. They have already been involved in the research, and the goal is for this to continue through joint research projects where the Knowledge Centre, among other things, contributes relevant issues.
Demographics make the agreement necessary
The director of the Knowledge Centre for Longer Working Lives, Kari Østerud, says that it is the demographic development that makes this agreement important and necessary.
She adds that both the workforce and society in general need more knowledge about what happens when we have an aging population. They want this knowledge to benefit, among others, the parties in the workforce.
"This is the first time we are entering into such an agreement, so the path will be made as we go," Østerud concludes.