# Europeans Live Longer, Companies Unprepared

> Principal CEO warns EU’s aging workforce strains companies.
- Title: Europeans Live Longer, Companies Unprepared · Fortune
- Summary: Principal CEO warns EU’s aging workforce strains companies. Principal’s CEO says EU companies aren’t ready for longer working lives as aging populations grow.
- Keywords: principal financial group, eu workforce, longevity, pension gap, retirement savings, gender pay gap, career lengthening, Fortune
- Source: Fortune — https://fortune.com/2026/11/06/europeans-are-living-and-working-for-longer-principals-ceo-says-companies-arent-ready-for-the-change
- Author: Sam Birchall
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: principal financial group, eu workforce, longevity, pension gap, retirement savings, gender pay gap, career lengthening
## Europeans live longer
More than one-fifth of EU population is 65 or older, with 80-plus share set to double by 2100.
## Principal CEO warns
Deanna Strable says employers aren’t ready for longer working lives as EU workforce ages.

> Employers and leaders are going to have to get used to people being in the workforce for a longer amount of time
## Labor market shifts
Record two-thirds of EU 55-64-year-olds employed in 2025, as birth rates fall and baby boomers retire.
## Workforce adaptation needed
Companies must adjust hiring, job design, and training for longer careers as workers stay employed.
## Principal’s approach
Principal trained 19,000 employees in AI over 18 months with flexible formats for different learning styles.

> some people want to do it very much on their own, other people want to do it with others sitting around the table
## Gender pension gap
EU women receive 24.5% smaller pensions than men despite working fewer years.
## Women’s retirement confidence
Only 29% of EU women believe government pensions will cover retirement, down from 39% for men.
## Pension reforms
U.K., Ireland, and Netherlands shift retirement savings to individuals with auto-enrollment and auto-escalation.
## Women’s financial advice gap
Only 54% of EU women can access retirement planning tools, down from 64% for men.
## Key takeaway

Principal’s CEO says EU companies aren’t ready for longer working lives as aging populations grow.