The aging of the workforce in the U.S. and many other countries is having a profound impact on how we conceptualize and approach occupational safety and health. The purpose of this study was to examine how work arrangements, job characteristics, and health vary across the working life. Data came from the 2014 General Social Survey (GSS) which is conducted as a face-to-face interview and provides a representative sample of the U.S. adult population. In 2014, a 76-item quality of work life module was administered to a sample of 1,240 workers in order to examine a broad range of working conditions and health measures. Analyses compared 5 age groups (18–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, 65+), controlling for other demographic factors. Older workers (i.e., 55+ years) were more likely to be part-time employees, independent contractors, work mainly from home, or in small businesses. They were less likely to be permanent employees or in jobs that required mandatory overtime. In terms of perceived job characteristics, older workers reported less job stress, higher levels of job satisfaction, greater autonomy, and more supervisor support than young or middle-age workers. For health measures, older workers were less likely to be injured at work and reported fewer days missed because of mental health issues. However, they were more likely to miss work because of physical health issues. No consistent pattern emerged for back or arm pain. Results are discussed in terms of implications for the field of occupational health and the goal of designing “age-friendly” workplaces.
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