Recognition, supportive leadership and flexible working arrangements were among the main themes discussed when SAFE project partners met at Tallinn University on 11 June 2026. Drawing on employee responses and feedback from pilot organisations, partners explored how to improve the project’s self-assessment tool and turn workplace experiences into policy recommendations.

The SAFE project, Solutions for Age-Friendly Employer, supports health and social care employers in creating age-friendly working conditions for employees aged 55 and over and strengthening cooperation between generations.

The Tallinn meeting brought together partners from Estonia, Finland and Sweden, with some colleagues joining online. Discussions focused on what the pilots had revealed, how employers could use the findings and the next steps towards involving experts in developing policy recommendations.

Listening to employees’ experiences

Marika Aedviir presented an analysis of 422 meaningful written responses from employees in Estonia. Their feedback showed that age-friendly working conditions matter both to individual employees and to the organisations where they work.

Respect and appreciation featured strongly. Respondents highlighted the importance of recognising experience and knowledge, supporting colleagues as they approach retirement and creating a workplace where people feel valued at every age.

Many employees described friendly teams and supportive working environments. Others raised concerns about insufficient recognition, age discrimination and the pressure caused by staff shortages and heavy workloads. These responses underlined how closely age-friendliness is connected to everyday working conditions and management practices.

Flexible working arrangements were another recurring theme. Employees called for work schedules and responsibilities that take account of different needs and life situations. Several also said that completing the questionnaire had prompted them to consider issues they had not previously thought about, suggesting that self-assessment can help open conversations within workplaces.

A questionnaire that is easy to use

Feedback on the questionnaire’s ease of use was encouraging. Among 197 valid ratings, employees gave it an average score of 4.69 out of 5. Of these respondents, 147 awarded the highest score.

Partners also discussed opportunities to improve individual questions. Some employees had found certain topics difficult to answer, particularly where they lacked information about pensions or retirement arrangements.

The partners agreed to introduce an “I do not know” or “I do not have information” option selectively where appropriate. This would allow employees to respond more accurately and help employers identify topics where clearer information is needed.

What the pilot organisations revealed

The Estonian pilot involved 11 organisations, including hospitals, care providers, rehabilitation services and a sanatorium. Partners shared feedback from these organisations, while the Metropolia team presented an update on piloting in Finland.

The Estonian feedback identified meaningful work, suitable tools and knowledge sharing as strengths. Areas needing greater attention included employee health and recovery, flexibility and support for the transition to retirement.

The discussions also revealed practical challenges. In health and social care, services often operate around the clock, limiting how much flexibility employers can offer. Age-friendly solutions therefore need to account for both employees’ needs and the demands of delivering care.

Feedback further highlighted the influence of direct managers on employees’ experiences and motivation. Supportive leadership, fair treatment and recognition are important parts of making workplace improvements effective.

Continued learning and cooperation between generations also emerged as areas for attention. The findings pointed to a need for training that supports employees with different levels of confidence and helps teams adapt to changing ways of working.

Making the results easier to understand

Pilot participants generally found the digital self-assessment environment clear and user-friendly. However, they also wanted more concise summaries and results that were easier to interpret and share.

Suggestions included clearer visual presentation, percentages and opportunities to compare results between departments. These improvements could help employers identify where action is needed and discuss the findings with their teams.

The pilot feedback will inform further refinement of the self-assessment tool, alongside the development of policy recommendations and other project outputs.

Preparing policy recommendations with experts

Partners discussed preparations for an online concept mapping workshop planned for 4 November 2026, involving 50 experts.

The approach will allow participants to submit ideas for improving age-friendly working conditions. The ideas will then be grouped into themes and assessed according to their potential impact and feasibility, helping identify priorities for policy recommendations.

The recommendations will draw on the project’s research, questionnaire results and experience from the pilots. At the June meeting, partners discussed how to formulate the questions, involve stakeholders and present the results so that they can support decision-makers.

Learning from related initiatives

Kristi Kuusmik-Orav from Pärnumaa Development Centre introduced the HõbeKOBAR project. Her presentation gave SAFE partners an opportunity to reflect on connections with other work addressing age-friendly workplaces.

The meeting reinforced the value of listening to employees and testing solutions in real workplaces. The next stage of SAFE will use this experience to improve the self-assessment tool and develop recommendations that respond to the realities of health and social care.

About SAFE

SAFE – Solutions for Age-Friendly Employer supports age-friendly working conditions for employees aged 55 and over in health and social care. Running from April 2024 to March 2027, the project brings together Haapsalu College, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Kuldne Liiga and NDPHS.

Visit project website

SAFE is financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the Interreg Central Baltic Programme 2021–2027.