Watch this introductory lecture on the swAge model, then continue with the following videos to deepen your knowledge of how to build a sustainable working life for all ages, and why this is needed.
To put this web course into context, we encourage you to watch this lecture containing a brief history as well as information regarding work, health and leadership.
Consider and reflect after the lecture:
The swAge model (Sustainable Working life for all Ages) is a theoretical model regarding determinant factors and measures to enable a sustainable working life for all ages.
The swAge model includes:
Nine determinant areas for being able and wanting to work: The model visualizes the nine different determination areas for being able and wanting to work, which are described in more detail in future lectures.
Four spheres of determination for a sustainable working life: The spheres of determination will be described in detail in future lectures. The four spheres of determination relate to the four considerations that individuals make in order to continue working or leave the workplace. The four areas of determination also show the areas where measures need to be taken to make working life sustainable for all ages.
Age: The model also shows how the nine determinant areas for a sustainable working life relate to different ways of defining age.
The swAge model is used in many workplaces as a tool for reflection in the organization of work, in management, in the exercise of authority, in the distribution of work, in employee interviews, to organize the systematic work environment management, etc.
Have you considered the difference between being able to do something and wanting to do something?
Just because you want to do one thing, it is not certain that you are able to.
And even if you can, it is not certain that you want to.
What affects whether we can work or not?
And what influences whether we want to work or not?
Consider and reflect after the lecture:
Age and aging matter in working life. We all have an age. But you can define age in different ways.
This lecture addresses four different ways of defining age and how these are important for a sustainable working life for all ages.
Consider and reflect after the lecture:
Individuals make four considerations when deciding whether to work in an extended working life or not.
When you are faced with big decisions in life, you make different considerations.
There are often pros and cons, and these are weighed against each other before making the decision.
The same applies when considering staying at a workplace or leaving the workplace.
Consider and reflect after the lecture:
Health is a broad term that can be defined in different ways. The perception of health has changed through the years. This lecture is about health, definitions of health and supportive environments that promote health.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
Our bodies' functions are vital in order to be able to work. Our bodies' functions are affected by our work and also affects our biological ageing.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
The possibility to work is affected by the capacity in skeleton, joints, muscles, nerves and sensory organs. At the same time our work, work load, movements and postures affect our skeleton, joints, muscles, nerves, sensory organs and the biological ageing.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
The body's reactions to stress is one of the most common reasons for sickness absence and ill health in today's society.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
The physical work environment affects the wear on the body and the biological ageing. This lecture is about how physical work loads affects the body based on the physical work environment.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
The design of the physical work place is of great importance in order for the physical work environment to be sustainable. This lecture is about the design of the physical work place.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
The design of the mental work environment is important to the experience of stress, demands and control of the work situation. This lecture is about the mental work environment and stress.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
How can one promote a healthy mental work environment in the work place? This lecture is about promoting a healthy mental work environment.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
The working hours, work pace and the possibility for sufficint time for recuperation between and during work shifts are of great importance to a sustainable working life for all ages. This lecture is about working hours, work pace and recuperation.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
Physical activities?
Mental/cognitive activities?
Do you have sufficient time for recuperation in relation to your time for activity?
The possibility for recuperation is significant in order to cope with one's work and feel well, heal and not be subjected to ill health. This lecture is about measures for recuperation.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
Our personal financial situation is a significant reason to why we work, as well as to our social welfare and chronological ageing. This lecture is about economics and financial incentives.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
Employability is of great importance in order to be able to remain in working life and thereby receive a salary.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
We all age, become older and closer to the age of retirement for every day that goes by. But how does retirement affect the personal financial situation?
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
How much money do I need in order to live the way I want to?
What our personal social situation is like, with family, partner and friends affects our ability and wish to work. This lecture is about the personal social environment.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
Achieving a satisfying balance between working life and personal life is not always an easy task. This lecture is about priorities and boundaries between work and personal life.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
To want to work we need to experience a social environment in the work place where we feel secure and not exposed to disregard due to our social age or for any other reason. The manager has an important role in the social environment in the work place. This lecture is about the social work environment.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
The manager has great importance for the possibility of a sustainable working life for all ages. It is the managers task to manage and divide work tasks, and contribute to everyone feeling included in the social work environment.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
A sense of community in the work team, feeling included, seen for who you are and a sense of participation is important for the wish to be in the work place. Power, division of power and conflicts occur in all groups. This lecture is about group dynamics.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
Experiencing support from managers, co-workers, employees, customers, clients, patients, students and other people one may meet in the daily work is important in order to want and be able to work and remain in a work place and working life. This lecture is about social support in the work place.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
What is the social support in your workplace like between:
The organisation of work is meaningful for the employees' execution of their work tasks and activities at work. Experiencing well-being, motivation and stimulation through work tasks and activities is fundamental for the wish to work. This lecture is about the organisation of work and its' effect on tasks and activities at work.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
Experiencing meaningfulness, motivation and stimulation in work tasks is significant in order for people's wish to work. This lecture is about work satisfaction and motivation.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
In order to execute their work tasks, people need sufficient ability, knowledge and competence. Cognitive ageing affects learning and memory. This lecture is about knowledge and competence.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions:
Throughout the duration of their working life, individuals need to learn new things and skills in order to remain employable, since society, organisations and enterprises change constantly. This lecture is about learning in the organisation.
After you have watched the lecture, please take a few moments to consider and reflect on the following questions: