Impact case study database

Changing National Government understanding and strategies

Based on her ageing workforce research expertise, Johnson was invited to contribute to a review for the Government Office for Science called The Future of an Ageing Population. Johnson specifically contributed critical evidence to section 2.1 in the 2016 report [B] which drew extensively on her 2015 Foresight evidence review [3]. Previously, an ageing workforce was seen to be detrimental to employers but Johnson’s evidence provided a new perspective “particularly to employers and wider society”. This research highlighted the many benefits of older people in the workforce and acknowledged that an extended working life had “non-financial” benefits, such as improved cognitive and health related benefits for individuals. The report uses Johnson’s evidence to develop specific policy implications which enabled the UK Government to expand its understanding of the potential benefits of longer working lives. This included: 1) the necessity for a range of adaptations and approaches to overcoming barriers to working longer and enhancing productivity in the ageing workforce (including addressing negative attitudes, health needs, workplace design, technology and adaptations in HR policies and working practices); 2) the need for lifetime learning and training of an ageing workforce to prevent skills gaps; 3) a need to address the causes of varying employment rates among older people across the UK population.

The report has been used by policy-makers to formulate future-proof policies for an ageing workforce. In particular, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has used the report to directly feed into its Fuller Working Lives strategy (2017) which encourages businesses to retain, retrain and recruit older workers and presents the benefits of a fuller working life. As the Lead for Employer Engagement and Trials on the Fuller Working Lives Strategy at the DWP [C], states: “Johnson has contributed to our understanding of the ability and needs of older workers …Johnson’s work on the ‘ Foresight Future of an Ageing Population’ evidence review directly fed into and contributed to the development and promotion of the Fuller Working Lives strategy and the Industrial Strategy”. The strategy commits to five government actions, including new legislation to support Fuller Working Lives and developing the evidence base for further action.

Informing Local Government Strategy and Policy in Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has directly used Johnson’s research on ageing and well-being to inform its understanding of age-friendly workplaces. Johnson disseminated her research findings via extensive policy-focused engagement, including becoming an invited member of both the Greater Manchester Ageing Hub (since 2016) and the Manchester City Council Ageing Hub Work and Economy Group (since 2017). She also presented at the GMCA Economy Scrutiny Committee (March 2017) on age discrimination, gender and race and the Workshop for Age Friendly Employment in Manchester (May 2019).

Her dissemination and engagement activity subsequently influenced the creation of three new GMCA policies: 1. The city’s Ageing Strategy, 2. The GM Local Industrial Strategy, and 3. GM Ageing Hub’s Economy and Work Strategy and Action Plan. The Programme Lead for the Age Friendly Manchester initiative at the City Council’s Manchester Health and Care Commission, states [D]: “Johnson has made a sizeable contribution to the City’s Ageing Strategy… her work on the ‘Foresight Future of an Ageing Population’ evidence review directly fed into and contributed to the development and promotion of the Greater Manchester Local Industrial Strategy”. Subsequently, the GM Local Industrial Strategy has a significant focus on an Ageing Society and has pledged to honour the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, which includes a commitment to promote decent and safe work opportunities for older people. The Assistant Director - Employment (Policy, Strategy & Delivery) at the GMCA, states that [E]: “ Johnson’s research has informed the development of GM Ageing Hub’s Economy and Work Strategy and Action Plan, in particular the ‘test & learn’ locality pilots sponsored by Department for Work & Pensions Fuller Working Lives unit, Centre for Ageing Better (CfAB) and GMCA”. He comments that as a result of this work, the GMCA has been better able to “ target our research, projects and other activities in order to benefit the older workforce in Greater Manchester”.

Johnson’s research has benefited employers in the Greater Manchester region by helping them to understand the needs of their ageing workforce. In 2018 and 2019, she provided key evidence concerning the ageing workforce and their health and wellbeing needs to a GMCA and CfAB initiative called the ‘Age Friendly GM Employer Handbook’ which will be available and promoted to all companies and employers in the Greater Manchester area. AHPD guidelines directly contributed to Section 3 ‘Ensure everyone has the health support they need’, with a link included from the handbook to the guidelines. The handbook was produced as a result of GMCA and CfAB prioritising future-proof policies, which is a key issue Johnson recommended to these organisations. This is the first handbook of its kind and the Assistant Director at GMCA states that [E]: “ [Johnson] made a significant contribution…thus assisting employers in the Greater Manchester region in understanding the needs of, and supporting, their ageing workforce”.

Improving Organisational Policy and Practice for Older Workers in the Logistics and Transport Sector

Professor Johnson’s research [6] with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the national regulator for workplace health and safety, has provided them with an evidence base from which to formulate policy and practices. In particular, she has focussed on the needs of an ageing workforce within the logistics and transport sector – including its below average record for health and safety performance [6]. Johnson worked with the HSE to identify emerging health risks within the sector’s ageing workforce, before developing novel ways to better prepare for and deal with these risks. The work documented the significant adverse health consequences for older workers, such as musculoskeletal disorders, stress, fatigue and obesity, as well as increasingly harder physical demands on ageing bodies when performing loading and unloading tasks. Previously, the HSE had little data on these specific risks and thus Johnson’s report directly informed HSE’s priority science area under its ‘demographics hub’. The HSE’s Chief Scientific Advisor commented that Johnson has directly informed “new perspectives” on the risks of an ageing logistics workforce and stated that her report increased the HSE’s capacity to carry out the “ assessment and control of health risks and the identification and development of novel ways to deal with existing risk” [F]. The HSE has subsequently used Johnson’s recommendations to operationalise age-friendly policies. For example, it is now policy that professional drivers must have access to welfare facilities, such as toilet and refreshment facilities, at any company to which they are delivering goods.

Johnson’s work with the HSE led to the development of the AHPD network [A]. The AHPD was set up by Johnson in 2017 and currently has over 70 member organisations. This includes transport and logistic firms and representatives, unions, as well as the DVLA. The network acts as a forum to exchange knowledge and best practice and reaches over 20,000 employees.

In 2019, Johnson produced the first industry-led guidelines (funded by an ESRC Impact Acceleration Account grant) for best practice relating to age and wellbeing in the logistics and transport sector. The guidelines were officially launched at an event held at the GM Ageing Hub conference in February 2019 and are freely accessible via the AHPD Network website. They have been downloaded over 130 times to date by stakeholders in the logistics and transport sector.

Several organisations have used these guidelines to develop age-friendly wellbeing policies, such as Bibby Distribution, which employs 600+ drivers operational across 40 UK sites. Bibby’s Driver Training and Telematics Manager states that [G]: “ key recommendations and ideas in the Guidelines directly resulted in a number of new initiatives and organisational investments being made at Bibby Distribution, including the establishment of a driver committee to improve communication to isolated older drivers and the creation of a Knowledge Portal which is linked through innovation in-cab technology so that drivers can access the company’s health and wellbeing information in their downtime while they are away from the office.” He further states that the company has established a training programme and that the Guidelines have been “ an invaluable catalyst for restructuring training provision within the company and have provided a framework for ensuring that the wellbeing needs of ageing drivers are recognised and alleviated through increased understanding and awareness of the issues they face”.

Clipper Logistics is another large company that has benefited from Johnson’s research. This organisation operates out of 47 sites across Europe with a turnover of GBP450,000,000 per annum. Its National Driver Training Manager has commented [H] that the AHDP guidelines have “ created a better understanding of the health and wellbeing needs of older drivers. At Clipper Logistics, we have paid particular attention to the guideline’s recommendations around the mental and physical challenges older drivers face when undertaking duties such as night driving and extended periods spent driving alone”. The AHPD Guidelines have triggered a change in attitude towards ageing drivers in the company, and encourage a more proactive approach towards improving the working lives of ageing drivers where previously information on how to make appropriate provisions for older drivers was very limited. The research and guidelines have also prompted alterations to the firm’s HR strategies and employee training, such as changes to materials within the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC) course delivered to all drivers. Furthermore, the guidelines prompted the company to take their training provision ‘in-house’ to better tailor the training to the needs of their ageing workforce. The National Driver Training Manager states that [H] “ The guidelines provided a rigorous, evidence-based framework when making the decision to restructure the training courses with a view to placing more emphasis on the physical and mental wellbeing of older drivers. The course will be delivered to all 455+ drivers in 2020”.