GUIDELINES FOR PROMOTING ELDERLY EMPLOYMENT FOR RE-ENTRY INTO THE LABOR MARKET IN GOVERNMENT AGENCIES: A CASE STUDY OF BANGKOK METROPOLITAN ADMINISTRATION

Abstract

This research aims to 1) study elderly employment policies in government agencies and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, 2) analyze obstacles to elderly employment, and 3) propose guidelines for elderly workforce reentry into government agencies. The study employed qualitative research methodology, analyzing qualitative data through content analysis from in-depth interviews with key informants from Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Department of Older Persons, and Ministry of Labor.

          The findings revealed that 1) current elderly employment policies in government agencies are voluntary rather than legally mandated, with elderly workers employed in various positions but lacking flexibility in employment arrangements. Compensation systems are designed according to job characteristics and employment types, while extending retirement age from 60 to 65 years remains challenging. 2) Five major obstacles to elderly employment were identified: legal and policy limitations, inadequate budget allocation, social attitudes unfavorable to elderly employment, technology skill limitations, and health and transportation constraints. 3) A two-phase approach to promote elderly employment is proposed: the first phase focuses on addressing the five fundamental obstacles, while the second phase emphasizes inter-agency collaboration to develop policies in four areas: extending retirement age and redefining elderly classification, developing organizational policies, developing flexible employment models, and designing appropriate compensation systems.