Telework and ageing workforces: what older workers in Milan tell us

Authors: (Left to right) Concetta Russo, Guglielmo Marconi University, Italy; Valentina Pacetti, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy; Anne-Iris Romens, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy; &, Annalisa Dordoni, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy. 

What happens when ageing workforces encounter the rise of remote and hybrid work across Europe? While workforces across Europe are ageing, remote and hybrid working have become a lasting feature of the post-pandemic labour markets. For many companies, telework is often seen as a solution to attract and retain younger employees who value flexibility and autonomy. But how do older workers experience remote work? And can telework help organisations address the challenges of an ageing workforce? 

Our recent research investigated these questions on Milan’s outskirts, Italy’s hub for knowledge-intensive services, through in-depth interviews with teleworkers aged 55 and over, HR managers, and union representatives.
What we discovered is clear: telework is not only appealing to younger generations, but is also highly appreciated by older workers, often for similar reasons.

Saving time and gaining autonomy

For many participants, the main benefit of telework is the flexibility it provides in organising daily routines. Working from home enables employees to organise their working hours more flexibly, allowing them to better balance professional tasks with other aspects of everyday life.

Avoiding the daily commute was often cited as an example of this flexibility. For workers in their late fifties or early sixties, commuting can be physically exhausting and time-consuming, especially in large metropolitan areas. However, what mattered most to many interviewees was not just the time saved, but how that time could be utilised differently throughout the day.

Interestingly, these motivations reflect the reasons often given by younger employees for preferring remote work: flexibility, autonomy, and a better balance between work and personal life. 

Supporting the “sandwich generation”

Older workers often face a specific set of responsibilities that influence how they experience teleworking. Many participants in our study belonged to what is commonly called the “sandwich generation”: people who support both adult children and ageing parents at the same time.

These responsibilities can be particularly demanding in countries like Italy, where families remain the primary providers of daily care. Telework often facilitates managing these pressures. Some interviewees explained that working from home allowed them to check on elderly parents, assist children with daily needs, or oversee household chores during the working day.

In several cases, participants mentioned they might have thought about reducing their working hours or exiting the workforce earlier if teleworking had not been available or if it were to be withdrawn in the future. From this perspective, flexible work arrangements can play an important role in supporting longer and more sustainable careers.

Rethinking priorities later in the career

Research has frequently shown that telework presents a paradox: while it provides greater autonomy, it can also blur the boundaries between work and personal life, raising the risk of overwork. Some participants in our study reported working longer hours when working remotely, as time saved from commuting or office routines was sometimes reinvested in work tasks.

Our interviews also indicate that many older workers are aware of this risk and actively attempt to establish clearer boundaries. After decades of professional dedication, several interviewees expressed a growing wish to prioritise family life, personal well-being, and activities outside work. In this context, telework can serve as a means to rebalance life and work while safeguarding time for non-professional priorities.

Designing telework for an ageing workforce

As workforces age across Europe, organisations will need to reconsider how jobs are structured and how flexibility is introduced. Telework can be an effective means of retaining experienced employees, supporting caregiving duties, and enhancing quality of life in later career stages.
However, its benefits are not automatic. Without supportive policies and well-considered organisational practices, telework might also increase work pressure or bolster inequalities between employees who can work remotely and those who cannot.

For employers, HR managers, policymakers and union representatives, the message is clear: when designed thoughtfully, telework can help older workers stay engaged, productive and supported in an ageing labour market; without such careful design, however, it risks reinforcing existing inequalities and undermining the very goal of sustaining longer and healthier working lives.

Read the full research here.