Table 1_Expert consensus on sustainable employability of older workers: research, practice, and policy dimensions.docx

The first qualitative stage was conducted as a structured elicitation exercise and organized participants’ responses into five analytical domains: the definition of sustainable employability, organizational practices, public policies, individual factors, and research dimensions. In the subsequent rounds, the items derived from these domains were quantitatively evaluated for expert agreement.</p>Results<p>High levels of consensus were observed regarding physical and mental health, lifelong learning, healthy work environments, organizational practices to combat ageism, workplace flexibility, and the integration of health, social security, and employment policies.

Additional dimensions, including meaning of work, career adaptability, work–life balance, and support networks, also achieved the predefined consensus criteria in the final Delphi round. Divergence remained primarily for selected policy-related dimensions, particularly tax incentives for companies and funding for age-friendly workplace adaptations.</p>Discussion<p>The findings support the conceptualization of sustainable employability as a multilevel and contextual construct encompassing individual resources, organizational practices, and institutional policies.

This study contributes to the conceptual advancement of the field by providing expert-based evidence that clarifies the construct and identifies dimensions that achieved expert consensus, thereby informing future research, organizational practice, and public policy.</p>