Question: Some people believe that it is a good idea that older people continue to work if it is possible for them to do. Do you agree or disagree?
Band 8+ Sample Answer:
(Intro) One school of thought holds the belief that we should raise the voluntary age of retirement and therefore give older people the freedom to continue their work as long as they desire. I completely agree with this statement for the sake of the economy and well-being.
(Body 1) Firstly, if large swathes of employees retired while still in their prime it could have detrimental effects on a country’s economic prosperity. In some European countries, such as France and Germany, older people are incentivised to stay a part of the workforce for as long as possible to keep the economy afloat. On a societal level, this is based on the notion that if more older people remained employed, they would retain higher disposable incomes, which is a plus for both individuals and the governments. Meanwhile, within a business context, the complimentary skill sets of older and younger workers’ skill sets have been shown to facilitate higher productivity.
(Body 2) Furthermore, if seniors stayed working, it would be synonymous with improved well-being. For example, work enables the brain to keep functioning actively, which leads to a lower risk of developing brain illnesses such as Alzheimers. studies have indicated that the longer this ‘golden’ generation can stay productive members of the workforce , the better their physical and mental health would be. This has a clear knock on effect for governments as the budget allocated for pensions, nursing homes, and a range of social and healthcare services, would be significantly reduced.
(Conclusion) In conclusion, the world’s population might be on an unstoppable course toward old age, but this demographic transformation does not have to come with dire economic ramifications; instead, we can view it as an opportunity for economic gains and a reduction in the strain on social welfare systems. I think the government should provide workers who are nearing retirement age with access to re-skilling programmes to allow them to stay healthy and economically productive. (317 words)
Words: Student essay, corrected & upgraded by Nick Kemp, former IELTS examiner.
Image: Ahsanization ッ / Unsplash.
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