By Shyamini Szeko, reflecting on Master’s research into ageing and work in New Zealand manufacturing (AcademyEx, 2025)

When I began my Master’s research into age-inclusive practices in New Zealand manufacturing, I thought I was studying a “future of work” issue.

What I quickly realised was that it is also a very human story, one about resilience, knowledge, and how we value people at different stages of their working lives.

New Zealand’s workforce is changing fast. By 2033, nearly half (44%) of workers will be over 45, with 8.6% aged 65 and older (MBIE, 2023). We also stand out globally for how many older people remain in the workforce.

Overall, about one in four New Zealanders aged 65 and over are still working, and for those aged 65 to 69, it is close to half (Te Ara Ahunga Ora, 2023). This is an extraordinary contribution, but also a challenge if workplaces do not adapt.

What the research revealed

Through conversations with older workers, younger colleagues, industry leaders, and cultural advisors, five themes became clear:

1. Flexibility matters, but it is uneven
   Office-based employees often have access to flexibility, while factory workers rarely do. Yet small changes, such as a shorter week or a different shift pattern, can keep people engaged and thriving.
2. Knowledge transfer is fragile
   Long-serving employees carry decades of know-how, often undocumented. Without structured mentoring, this experience is easily lost.
3. Digital change can feel out of reach
   Many older workers lack confidence with technology and want safe, supportive ways to learn. Younger employees are often keen to help but need structured opportunities.
4. Age is overlooked in inclusion
   While gender and ethnicity are visible priorities, age rarely makes the list. This gap leaves older workers feeling undervalued. Ageism is also evident in recruitment.

Many people over 50 report being overlooked for roles, despite having the skills, stability, and experience that businesses need.

5. Health, wellbeing, and transitions are central

• Physical strain and financial pressures shorten careers, with many workers leaving earlier than they want to, driven by fatigue or injuries.
• Others do not know how to leave. Without clear pathways, some remain caught between cultural expectations, financial fears, and silence around transitions.
• Structured transition planning makes the difference. Reframed not as “retirement” but as open conversations about what is next, these approaches support dignity, choice, and continued contribution.

Making “what’s next” part of the conversation

What struck me most was how rarely people feel able to talk about what is next, even though many want to keep contributing in new ways such as mentoring, reducing hours, or trying different roles.

Often, people also do not know how to start these conversations, or that they may even have options available to them. As a result, the discussions never happen.

Leaders sometimes fear raising the topic will be seen as pushing people out. Creating space for open dialogue is an act of respect. It shows that work is not ending but moving into a new stage.

Culture and belonging

Cultural intelligence reshaped my thinking. Te Tiriti o Waitangi challenges us to design workplaces that reflect partnership, participation, and protection. For Māori, kaumātua are more than “older workers”, they are knowledge-holders. For Pasifika, wellbeing and contribution are understood through whānau and community.

Respecting these perspectives means moving beyond inclusion to a deeper sense of belonging.

Where to start

You do not need to wait for perfect policy to begin. Even small steps can shift culture:

• Create space for conversations about “what’s next”. Normalise open dialogue with older workers about their future pathways, without assumptions.
• Trial reciprocal mentoring. Pair long-serving staff with newer colleagues so knowledge and digital skills flow both ways.
• Offer bite-sized digital training. Short, hands-on sessions build confidence and inclusion more effectively than one-off courses.

These are simple places to start. My research shows that when they are embedded systematically, supported by leadership, cultural intelligence, and structured planning, they can transform both workforce resilience and business outcomes.

A reflection

The lesson I carry from this research is simple: organisational resilience is not built in the boardroom alone. It lives in everyday choices about how we value people.

Ageing workers are not a burden to be managed. They are a resource of experience, loyalty, and perspective that, if supported, can help our sector thrive.

If we start treating ageing not as an end point but as the next stage of contribution, New Zealand manufacturing will not just cope with change, it will build resilience and lead through it.