How Do Older Workers in Germany Experience the Digitalisation of Their Workplaces?

Older workers in Germany are increasingly expected to work digitally, yet little is known about how they experience digitalisation. Drawing on waves 3 (2018) and 4 (2022/2023) of the representative German lidA cohort study on work, age, health and work participation, this chapter examines (a) the extent of digitalised work, (b) satisfaction with digital technologies at work, and (c) digital self-efficacy (DSE) among older workers. The analysis uses a longitudinal sample of employees born in 1959 and 1965 (Sample A, N = 2,112) and a cross-sectional sample including an additional 1971 cohort (Sample B, N = 7,406).

Results show that almost all older workers use digital technologies at work, but overall digitalisation levels remained largely stable between 2018 and 2022/2023, with only a small shift from stationary to mobile computers. This result does not support the often-mentioned idea of a ‘digitalisation push’. Satisfaction with digital technologies is generally medium to high and did not change significantly over four years. About two thirds of workers report high DSE, yet a regression analysis indicates significantly lower odds of high DSE in older cohorts compared to the youngest cohort. Overall, these findings challenge deficit-oriented views of older workers but highlight a sizeable group with low DSE as a potential risk group for diminished workability and digital exclusion. Implications for occupational health and safety, HR practice, and German digital policy are discussed.