CHỮA ĐỀ THI THẬT BAND 8.0+ IELTS WRITING TASK 2 NGÀY 11/05/2024

ESSAY INFORMATION:

Written by: Xuân Phi, 13/05/2024

Supported by: Ex-BC Examiner, 14/05/2024

Question: In many countries today the retirement age from work has been raised. Do the advantages of raising the retirement age from work outweigh the disadvantages?

(IELTS Academic – 11/05/2024)

ANSWER (8.0+):

In several nations, there has been an increase in the retirement age of employees. In my opinion, the benefits of this phenomenon such as a larger skilled workforce are overshadowed by the demerits relating to health issues of the elderly and youth unemployment rates.

The main drawback of raising the retirement age is related to health issues. Specifically, a higher retirement age could result in a significant number of older people who are more likely to suffer from age-related diseases continuing to work, which can make it difficult for them to perform their tasks. For instance, older construction workers prone to arthritis may struggle with operating heavy machinery or transporting building materials. This can negatively impact their productivity and the progress of the construction project.

Another disadvantage of a higher retirement age is that it could restrict job opportunities for younger individuals. If older people remain in the workforce for a longer time, companies may not need to hire new staff. This scenario could decrease employment prospects for the younger generation, potentially leading to higher youth unemployment rates. Take Vietnam as a prime example. The authorities implemented policies to raise the retirement age of male employees from 60 to 62 in 2023, which partially contributed to an increase in the country’s young unemployment levels in the following year.

However, raising the retirement age has several advantages, one of which is retaining skilled workers. Older workers often have greater experience in their fields than their younger counterparts. Thus, by extending the retirement age, enterprises can continue to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of older employees. For example, these senior employees can lead training sessions to share their experience with new staff.

In conclusion, while increasing the retirement age can keep experienced employees in the workforce, I maintain that its disadvantages are greater due to the health concerns and limited employment prospects for youngsters. Therefore, to maintain a healthy workforce, governments should keep the retirement age at 60 or under.

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