Press contact: Nicole TURBÉ-SUETENS – europe@distance-expert.

com
Website: www.esangathan.eu and www.esangathan-conference.eu
Date: July 18, 2008

Active Seniors in Virtual Workspaces: Methodologies in Social Innovation

Conference in Brussels on September 18, 2008

Europe faces a major demographic challenge! According to OECD, demographic projections are
uncertain, but on middle-of-the-road assumptions, the ratio of people over 65 to those between 20
and 64 could double between now and the middle of the century. And in some countries, such as
Italy and Spain, this ageing will be much stronger. The situation is similar in most developed
countries due to the combined effect of the lowering of the birth rate and the “boomers” reaching
retirement age. The phenomenon will be reaching the emerging economies within a few years as
was discussed during the eSangathan Mumbai conference.

The shift from an industrial society to a knowledge society, as well as the extension of the
individual lifespan in healthy conditions, and the increasing role of ICT in the work process are a set
of factors enabling people to work longer in good conditions. It will be a personal choice for some
people, and a necessity for others. The real question remains: how to increase the percentage of
aged workers (55-64) included into the labour market?

This was exactly the purpose of the eSangathan project!

The project focussed on two particular segments, of this 55-64 population: one consisting of
employees about to retire in the corporate world, and the other being people willing to be further
involved into the labour market as entrepreneurs. eSangathan analysed the situation based on two
pilots: one in a major Indian corporation, Mahindra & Mahindra and one at regional level in the
Öresund region in Sweden and Denmark.

ICT played a major role in the project and in the life of the pilot members. Indeed, the consortium
made the “a priori” assumption, based on previous experiences, that Collaborative Working
Environments (CWE) could represent a well adapted solution to improve working conditions and
offer a better work-life balance to the ageing workers. The consortium members will be happy to
share with you the results of these experimentations during the conference.

eSangathan was also eager to innovate in the field of tools and methods used to reach the social
goals of the project. We all know that the Nordic countries are the “best in class” in Europe with
regard to the employment of the “seniors”; so, we knew we would learn from our Swedish, Danish
and Dutch partners. So will you when attending the conference. You will discover how we shifted
from a hierarchical management approach to a “heterarchical” one.

The inclusion of the ageing workforce into the labour market becomes a hot topic in all the
countries where their employment rate is low. Indeed, 15 countries out of 27 do not reach the
strategic objective of 50% employment rate for the 55-64 population segment. This brings Europe at
44,7% of employment rate at the end of 2007. The employment rate varies from 28,3% (Malta) to
70% (Sweden).

Despite the recent research led by IRDES saying that 31% (The Netherlands) to 67% (Spain) of the 50-
64 workers say they want to retire as soon as possible, one can assume that the working life of the
Europeans will be longer in the future. This economical and social reality has been a key concern of
the eSangathan team. It results in a set of recommendations and proposals which will be presented
in the eSangathan White Paper.

The White Paper will be presented and made available during the conference!

1/1
 eSangathan Consortium - All rights reserved