Employers’ views of learning and training for an ageing workforce

Abstract

Abstract:This paper questions how employers view and evaluate the role of learning and training for older workers in light of the increasing number of older workers in the labour market. Learning and training opportunities could be utilised to respond to the 'extending working lives' agenda but interviews with employers suggest that this is not being done. A small number of human resource professionals, managing directors and owners were interviewed to determine what learning opportunities they offered to their older workers and how these workers' experience could be utilised better. Respondents implicitly accepted that there were few learning opportunities for older workers and suggested that they expected this group of workers to take on additional roles in making learning and experience available to younger colleagues. Dichotomies in employers' views emerged in that they differentiated between groups of workers and their need for skills, experience and the 'right' attitudes. AbstractThis paper questions how employers view and evaluate the role of learning and training for older workers in light of the increasing number of older workers in the labour market.Learning and training opportunities could be utilised to respond to the 'extending working lives' agenda but interviews with employers suggest that this is not being done. A small number of human resource professionals, managing directors and owners were interviewed to determine what learning opportunities they offered to their older workers and how these workers' experience could be utilised better. Respondents implicitly accepted that there were few learning opportunities for older workers and suggested that they expected this group of workers to take on additional roles in making learning and experience available to younger colleagues. Dichotomies in employers' views emerged in that they differentiated between groups of workers and their need for skills, experience and the 'right' attitudes. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 Although employment rates for older workers have been increasing there are many good reasons why society has not whole-heartedly embraced the 'extending working lives' agenda, with Vickerstaff (2010) questioning the 'unavoidable obligation' of working longer.Similar issues are noticeable in employers' behaviour. Employers generally benefit from older workers, in particular their soft skills, experience, punctuality and work values (McNair et al., 2007). However, the positive view that employers reportedly have of older workers has not changed their recruitment and retention behaviour (Heywood et al., 2010). Beck (2010) shows that employers favour traditional recruitment practices targeted at young people, e.g. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36...

Age management in the workplace: manager and older worker accounts of policy and practice

“…Arguably this stereotype about the ambitions of older workers could limit the opportunities for those older workers who wanted to progress. As previous research has found, opportunities for older workers to develop and progress may be limited (Beck, 2014; Kroon et al ., 2018). Another manager commented that they tended to promote younger workers: I think the older they get out there, when you say you're doing a good job, I'm thinking of promoting you, they're quite happy doing what they're doing.…”

“…There are also sectoral and occupational differences in terms of learning and training opportunities, and the value attached to the experience of older workers. For instance, in low-skilled retail jobs, older workers may be seen as not having the ‘right’ attitude, whereas in professional occupations, such as engineering, length of service is valued (Beck, 2014). In terms of organisational size, examples of good practice in age management are often drawn from large supermarket chains, hospitality groups or utility companies – although there are exceptions ( see e.g.…”

Active Ageing, Pensions and Retirement in the UK

“…Studies regarding the decision to retire find that people with higher incomes and occupational pensions are able to more freely decide when to retire (and tend to be most likely to either retire early or to continue working past SPA), while those without a private pension are more likely to leave work involuntarily, because of redundancy, care-giving responsibilities or ill-health (Phillipson et al 2016 ; Vickerstaff et al 2006 ). There are also differences between those who ‘consider retirement a well-earned entitlement, individuals who retire for health reasons, those who are compelled to continue working for financial reasons and older workers who have an inherently positive relationship with employment and would like to continue working’ (Beck 2014 , p. 201). As such the extending working lives agenda is a complex one, with choice unevenly distributed and constrained by a myriad of interrelated factors (Porcellato et al 2010 ; Lain 2016 ).…”

Struggles of Older Workers at the Labour Market

“…In response to the question -what learning opportunities were provided for older workers -respondents implicitly conceded that there were only very few educational opportunities for older workers (Beck, 2014). The lack of educational opportunities for older workers is especially regrettable when considering the multitude of potential positive effects.…”