The “Silver Economy" refers to the growing economy that will emerge due to the increase in older workers and consumers. We want to share the latest DIG news on partners, projects, and recent research findings on the Silver Economy as well as upcoming events at Arendalsuka.

We’re excited about our new collaboration agreement with the Center for an Age-Friendly Norway. Together with our existing partner Centre for Extended Working Life, this collaboration will provide valuable input and learning from ongoing efforts by these partners and a network to share forthcoming DIG research.

DIG is also partnering for research funding. The NordForsk application (RELATE project) examines how artificial intelligence can be used responsibly to support seniors in the workforce across five Nordic countries. The goal is to prevent marginalization and ensure that older professionals can contribute and remain in the workforce. A forthcoming EU Horizon application (led by Martin Friesl at Uni-Bamberg, Germany) aims to study the silver economy in the context of a fair green transition.

Meet the research fellows: Therese Egeland

How will AI change the way we collaborate, and how can we rethink work in an aging society? Researcher Therese Egeland shares her perspectives on the future of teamwork, the value of human interaction, and why demographic shifts could be an opportunity rather than a challenge.

Four NHH master's theses have studied Silver Economy topics this spring. Big thanks to our DIG partners who contributed with informants for data collection.

Here is a snapshot of some findings:

1. Age friendly leadership consists of five factors that leaders can influence to promote age-friendly workplaces. These include both fundamental conditions — such as fair compensation and workplace accommodations — and intrinsic motivators, like feeling valued, having a positive relationship with one’s manager, and a supportive work environment. 
2. A study of multigenerational teams found that age diversity is generally viewed positively, as it enhances knowledge sharing and decision-making, though ageism can still pose challenges. Key factors for effective collaboration include psychological safety, trust, and building relationships across age groups.
3. Senior employees in the health and care sector are primarily motivated to remain in work by a supportive work environment, strong leadership, feeling valued and meaningful tasks, while high workload, lack of resources, and poor management are key demotivators.
4. A study of the “Generation City” initiative by a non-profit healthcare organization found that Boards can help organizations turn demographic shifts into opportunities by closely collaborating with the executive leadership team, aligning future vision with organizational purpose, and supporting cross-sector innovations that address the unmet needs of an aging society.

This fall, a master thesis plans to study aging and AI to explore how professionals aged 55 and above meet the rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace. If you want to take part in the study or wish to contribute, please contact us.

On Tuesday August 12, DIG will host a session at Arendalsuka exploring how Norway’s aging population can become a competitive advantage for business and society. Join us for fresh research findings paired with perspectives from business leaders and policymakers on how to motivate and retain experienced employees and create value in an age-diverse workforce.

On Wednesday August 13, NHH will host a session with Center for Age-Friendly Leadership on how to succeed with age friendly leadership in a changing work life. We will also participate in a session by Switch AS on services, technology and workplaces that can help realize the potential of elderly citizens.

We truly appreciate your support and collaboration on the Silver Economy topic and look forward to working together with you to explore new opportunities for value creation for (1) the workforce, (2) the business community, and (3) society at large.

Wishing you a wonderful summer holiday!

Working together 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.

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