BEYOND AGE: HEALTH CAPACITY, ISLAMIC WORK ETHICS AND PRODUCTIVITY AMONG OLDER MALAYSIAN WORKERS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55197/qjssh.v7i5.1373Keywords:
ageing workers, self-perceived productivity, perceived health and work capacity, Islamic work ethics, MalaysiaAbstract
Population ageing has become a significant demographic challenge in Malaysia, raising concerns about labour market sustainability and workforce productivity. This study examines the determinants of Self-Perceived Productivity (SP) among Malaysian workers aged 50 years and above, focusing on Perceived Health and Work Capacity (PH), Islamic Work Ethics (IW), age, gender, and employment sector. Data were collected through an online survey of 61 respondents and analysed using binary logistic regression, with Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression employed as a robustness check. The findings indicate that PH and IW are significant determinants of self-perceived productivity. Workers with better health and work capacity were more likely to perceive themselves as productive, highlighting the importance of health as a component of human capital. Likewise, stronger adherence to Islamic values such as responsibility, diligence, trustworthiness, and commitment to excellence positively influenced productivity perceptions. In contrast, age and gender were not significant predictors, suggesting that productivity is shaped more by health and motivational factors than by chronological age. The service sector was also associated with higher productivity perceptions. OLS results confirmed the robustness of these findings. The study highlights the importance of promoting healthy ageing, age-friendly workplaces, lifelong learning, and positive work values to sustain productivity among older workers and support Malaysia’s long-term economic resilience.
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