We have launched an international programme of work, supported by the Innovation Resource Center for Human Resources, to identify the challenges and innovations that will be involved in responding to an ageing workforce. This will be addressed through an international innovations competition across four key areas:

• Maintaining good health
• Building knowledge, skills, and competence
• Addressing discrimination and supporting diversity
• Adapting the workplace

Over the coming year, we will be talking to policymakers, employers and HR experts around the world about adapting workplaces for an ageing workforce, before launching our international innovations competition in early 2021.

Through the Work for tomorrow programme we will:

• Highlight the productivity challenges of an ageing workforce
• Highlight the need for innovations to support productivity improvements in the light of an ageing workforce and the COVID-19 pandemic
• Identify innovations that meet the challenges, and suggest policy solutions for HR professionals, innovators and governments.

This consultation paper sets out the context for our international competition and highlights the challenges we must overcome with the help of innovation. We welcome thoughts and feedback.