We kicked off our first Watermark Masterclass Webinar of 2026 with a powerful and timely conversation on Australia’s Longevity Economy Paradox and it’s one many leaders agree we can no longer afford to ignore.
Hosted by Donna Burr, Interim Partner and joined by Michele Lemmens, Founder of the Longevity Productivity Lab, the session unpacked one of the most critical workforce challenges facing Australia today: Australia has a productivity problem and businesses face persistent skills shortages, so why when many mature age individuals want to work, do they struggle to access meaningful jobs?
Donna opened the session by highlighting a striking pattern in the 2025 Watermark Interim Executive Survey:
33% of Interim Executives now work beyond age 60, double the proportion from 15 years ago.
A quarter of leaders report treating their wellbeing as a key asset for sustaining a long and fulfilling career.
These shifts are reshaping workplace expectations and, increasingly, corporate strategy. Organisations are being challenged to think differently about how they support longer working lives and how they unlock the benefits of a multigenerational workforce.
Donna also shared five organisational shifts Watermark’s research has identified as essential to supporting longer, thriving careers:
Flexible work models
Lifelong learning ecosystems
Health and wellbeing strategies
Bias free talent practices
Purpose and cultural alignment
These themes set the stage for Michele’s deep dive into her research and her recent submission to the Productivity Commission.
The Longevity Economy Paradox
Michele opened by unpacking the Longevity Economy Paradox, illustrating why this issue demands the attention of business leaders today. This highlighted that without purposeful action we will squander Australia’s grey gold, the knowledge, capability and economic power of its ageing workforce.
She then walked through the data that reveals Australia’s mature age participation challenge and the significant economic consequences of standing still. One of the most striking insights was that outdated and insufficient economic data is masking the potential.
The conversation naturally progressed to the question: What’s holding Australia back? Despite an expanding evidence base and growing awareness, Michele highlighted several deeply embedded systemic barriers that continue to restrict progress. This set the foundation for a richer discussion on what corporates and leaders must do to drive systemic change and what it really takes to build a more productive, inclusive and resilient workforce where people over 45 can choose to participate and thrive.
Of course, no future of work discussion in 2026 can avoid AI. Michele explored the tendency for strategy conversations to frame mature workers as less capable or less relevant in an AI driven environment and why this bias is flawed. Instead, she encouraged leaders to rethink job design and transformation through a more balanced, evidence based lens.
Michele also shared how different countries and organisations are responding to mature age participation, highlighting models Australia can learn from. This led to her recommendations for what leaders, organisations and policymakers must do differently if we are to positively shift Australia’s work span trajectory.
To close, Michele brought the conversation back to the individual. She encouraged everyone to reflect on a personal level:
What value do I bring?
What is my purpose?
What do I genuinely enjoy?
What does my future working life look like?
Her message was simple: design your own longer work span with intention. Align your capabilities and purpose. And most importantly, don’t let the ideas stay dormant - take one insight that resonated and turn it into action. Have a conversation with someone (a colleague, a leader, a partner) and make the topic real inside your organisation.
As Michele reminded us, the logic is strong and the issue is critical. But without leadership and urgency, the needle won’t move.
To watch the full recording, please see below:
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