Japan now has more than 107,000 people aged 100 or older, according to recent figures. It is a remarkable milestone that also highlights how significantly the country’s workforce and society are changing.
Longer lives create challenges for social security and workforce planning. They also invite us to reconsider how we think about age, experience and contribution.
Many older people continue to lead active lives, share their knowledge and contribute to their communities. For organisations, this raises an important question: how can we make better use of the experience and capabilities people develop over decades?
As an HR leader, I believe companies should consider how to create more flexible career paths, support lifelong learning and enable people to contribute at different stages of their lives.
Japan’s ageing population also offers an opportunity to rethink how generations connect. The knowledge, experience and perspectives people accumulate over a lifetime are valuable to families, communities and organisations alike.
Perhaps one of the most positive ways to approach longer lives is to create more opportunities for generations to learn from one another, while recognising that a fulfilling life can take many different forms.