Background: The aging of the European population is a demographic trend reflected in the ever-growing number of older employees. This paper introduces the importance of motivation and satisfaction in the workplace among age diverse employees in Slovenian companies. Objectives: The goal is to investigate the differences between the motivation and satisfaction of employees from different age groups in the workplace. Methods/Approach: The paper is based on research including a survey of two age groups of employees in Slovenia. We employed the Mann-Whitney U test to verify differences in the motivation and satisfaction in the workplace between the two groups. Results: Older employees are more motivated by flexibility in the workplace; autonomy at work; good interpersonal relationships in the workplace; the possibility of working at their own pace; respect among employees; equal treatment of employees regardless of their age. They are more satisfied with interpersonal relationships in the company; their work; working hours and the distribution of work obligations; and facilitation of the self-regulation of the speed of work performed. Conclusions: Motivation and satisfaction change as individuals age. Using this information, managers and employers can apply appropriate measures to contribute to employees' well-being and better workplace performance, better working relationships with colleagues, higher productivity, and greater creativity.

PurposeThe main aim of the paper is to establish the effects of appropriately organized work as well as the effects of the employees' concerns related to work during the COVID-19 pandemic on work efficiency and work satisfaction among employees working from home during this period. The empirical research includes 619 employees in Slovenia, who participated in the survey during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachStructural equation modeling was used in exploring the effects between constructs.FindingsBased on the results, the authors found that appropriately organized work during the COVID-19 pandemic has a positive effect not only on the work efficiency of employees who work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia but also on their work satisfaction. Also, based on the results, the authors found that the employees' concerns related to work during the COVID-19 pandemic have a negative effect on the work efficiency and on the work satisfaction of employees who work from home during this period in Slovenia.Originality/valueThe COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed the way we live and work; therefore, this paper contributes to the creation of new working conditions and employee management during and also after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The article introduces the Quantified Dialectical Systems Theory (DST), which is one of the cases of new systems theories. It arises from the need for the appropriate knowledge about the basics of both systems theory and the applied computer supported qualitative and quantitative methods that can help individuals or groups in researching important complex decision-making problems; among them we emphasize the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) ones. Moreover, the article presents the framework procedure for MCDM, based on assigning weights, which we developed by following the original procedures of several MCDM methods, adapted mainly by the conclusions of experts in practice regarding the suitability of different multi-criteria methods, and own experience. We demonstrate how the DST's guidelines defining the subjective starting points can be followed when approaching MCDM problems step-by-step, as well as the DST's guidelines concerning implementation of starting points. In the efforts to support creating and decision-making it helps a lot, if the application of theory can take place in an informal style. This article introduces ways of incorporation of informal systemic thinking and the DST's guidelines in the framework procedure for MCDM when solving several real-life complex problems, presented by example cases.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present the adapted model per phases of the creative problem solving (CPS) process, where multi‐criteria decision making (MCDM) methods are used in the decision‐making phase. Also, to adapt and complete the steps of the six‐question technique, in order to establish the criteria's importance.Design/methodology/approachThe framework procedure of MCDM, together with the Dialectical Systems Theory's guidelines when solving complex problems has already been introduced. The procedure was well‐verified in practice, but lacked the support of creative qualitative techniques in defining problems, and in generating and choosing alternatives. To eliminate this deficiency, in terms of prescriptive approach, the authors adapted the phases of the CPS process, where MCDM methods are used when choosing alternatives, and completed the steps of the six‐question technique to establish the criteria weights. The discrete Choquet integral was used to consider interactions among criteria.FindingsThe article shows that creative approaches are not limited to merely problem definitions and problem structuring. They can also be used in typically analytical steps in the framework procedure.Research limitations/implicationsThe completed and adapted phases of the CPS process can allow the mutual assistance of creative and decision‐making methods when solving problems – a step forward to holism.Practical implicationsThis article develops and introduces the use of the six‐question technique, in the establishment of criteria weights.Originality/valueThe innovative aspect of this article is that it adapts and completes the CPS process so that MCDM methods can be used when choosing alternatives. It extends the use of creative approaches to typically analytical steps of MCDM, where synergies and redundancies among criteria are considered.

Background and Purpose:People spend a significant part of their lifespan working, but the role of age in job design and implementation of work have largely been ignored. The consequences can be evident in stress and burnout in different symptoms. Thus, age-diverse employees are faced with different symptoms of burnout and stress when carrying out their work. The main aim of this paper is to present burnout of older employees compared to younger employees in Slovenian companies. Design/Methodology/Approach: The paper is based on research including a survey between two age groups of employees, namely the younger employees that were classified in the group of under 50 years of age and the older employees that were classified in the group of above 50 years of age. Since the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk test showed that the data was not normally distributed, the noan-parametric Mann-Whitney U test was used to verify differences in the physical symptoms of burnout, emotional symptoms of burnout, and behavioral symptoms of burnout in the workplace between two groups. Results: The results show that there are significant differences in the great majority of the variables describing the physical symptoms of burnout, emotional symptoms of burnout, and behavioral symptoms of burnout in the workplace between younger and older employees. Conclusion: Well-being in the workplace of age-diverse employees is a key for long-term effectiveness of organizations. Managers and employers should apply appropriate measures to reduce burnout as well as to contribute to employees well-being and better workplace performance.Keywords: Physical symptoms of burnout, emotional symptoms of burnout, behavioral symptoms of burnout, employees, human resource management 1