As Belgium raises its legal pension age from 65 to 66 in 2025, eight in ten workers believe they will be unable to work until that age, according to a survey by HR services provider Securex.
From 1 February 2025, the pension age will rise from 65 to 66 for all workers aged 65 or younger in Belgium. Yet, 80.4% of Belgian workers state they cannot work until 66 or beyond, a figure similar to a 2019 survey, which was 82.5%.
This proportion is more favourable among workers aged over 55, with seven out of ten (70.3%) saying they cannot work until 66. This is a significant improvement from 2019, where 85.7% felt unable to work until 66. Securex attributes this improvement to less physically demanding jobs, greater flexibility, and increased autonomy, such as more teleworking, compared to 2019.
Conversely, high absenteeism due to illness and poor micro-management negatively impact the ability to work until 66 or beyond, notes the HR expert. This is a particular problem given Belgium's ageing labour market. An analysis of 230,000 employees in Belgium found that the most employees aged over 60 are the logistics and transport sector.
Besides the ability, the desire to work until 66 is also crucial. Here, Belgian workers score very low, with only one in ten (10.5%) expressing a willingness to work until that age, according to the survey.
On average, workers over 55 wish to stop working at 63.2 years. To maintain motivation throughout their careers and enhance their willingness to work, Securex advises employers to proactively manage the pension age change and create a work environment that supports autonomy, skill utilisation, and worker connectivity.
Investing in training opportunities, sufficient autonomy, and proper guidance to promote well-being and motivation is also recommended. Companies want to know how they can keep their staff working longer and guide employees towards retirement. For national finances the country's ageing population presents a major problem, as the overall cost of healthcare is rising at a time of major budget difficulties. Keeping people working for longer is considered vital to prevent a crippling cost to taxpayers.
