Older Workers, Government and Business: Implications for Ageing Populations of a Globalising Economy

Jorgensen, Brad; Taylor, Philip

doi:10.1111/j.1468-0270.2008.00795.x

Cited by 6 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Population aging, concern about the sustainability of social welfare systems, and projected labour shortages have led all of the industrialized countries to put greater emphasis on policies designed to extend the working lives of older workers (Jorgensen and Taylor, 2008). A core aspect of such policies is that older workers must have the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities to remain productive.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of downsizing on organizational practices targeting older workers

Armstrong‐Stassen

Cattaneo

2010

Journal of Management Development

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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the association between organizational downsizing and the extent to which organizations are engaging in human resource practices tailored to the needs of older workers (Study 1) and are providing a supportive training and development climate for older workers (Study 2).Design/methodology/approachStudy 1 data were obtained from 449 employed individuals aged 50 to 68 years. Study 2 data were obtained from 395 employed individuals aged 50 to 70 years. Respondents were from a broad cross‐section of occupations and organizations across Canada.FindingsRespondents in downsized organizations indicated that their organizations were significantly less likely to be engaging in human resource practices tailored to older workers and that their organizations had a less supportive training and development climate than their counterparts whose organizations had not downsized.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are based on older workers' perceptions of organizational practices, which may or may not be an accurate reflection of what organizations actually have in place.Practical implicationsOrganizations, especially those that have downsized, will be at a disadvantage if they continue to ignore the needs of older workers. Employers will have to change how they view older workers and put in place organizational practices geared to older workers such as those examined in the paper. Ensuring that older workers have the requisite skills and competencies to extend their working lives may require government involvement.Originality/valueThe paper illustrates that downsizing is detrimental to organizational practices that the aging workforce literature identifies as especially important to older workers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of downsizing on organizational practices targeting older workers

Armstrong‐Stassen

Cattaneo

2010

Journal of Management Development

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“…While older workers can still be valuable and valued employees, there is evidence that many older unemployed workers and early retirees who re-enter the workforce take up jobs in the secondary labour market: they tend to find jobs of a lower status than held previously and are engaged for fewer hours (Jorgensen and Taylor 2008; Taylor and Walker 1998). It is not clear to what extent these outcomes reflect the preferences of retirees or are conditioned by employers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The recruitment of early retirees: a vignette study of the factors that affect managers' decisions

2010

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Retirement is characterised as a dynamic process that has several different outcomes, from early retirement to re-entry to the labour force. Recent studies of the Dutch population show that a substantial number of early retirees re-enter the workforce after early retirement, but others do not succeed even though they want to return to paid work. An often-named reason for their failures is bias in the selection process. This raises the questions as to what restrictions do early retirees face in the labour market and what are the characteristics that enhance or limit their hiring chances ? The aim of this study was to identify the individual and organisational characteristics that influence managers' hiring decisions, and for the purpose a vignette study among Dutch managers and business students was conducted. Profiles of hypothetical early retirees were presented to the respondents who were then asked to make decisions whether of not to employ the individual. The results show that hiring early retirees is of low priority to both managers and students, and depends to a large extent on organisational factors (such as personnel shortages) and the age of the retiree. The findings suggest that despite equal opportunities policies, age discrimination is still present on the Dutch labour market and that managers generally hinder the re-employment of workers approaching the retirement age.

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“…He maintains that jobs in the Men Women 1983Women 1990Women 1995Women 2000Women 2005Women 2008Women 1983Women 1990Women 1995Women 2000Women 2005Women 2008 Older workers and change sense of "random movement now prevail; people are meant to deploy a portfolio of skills rather than nurture a single ability in the course of their working histories; this succession of projects or tasks erodes belief that one was meant to do just one thing well" (Sennett, 2008, p. 265). In a recent review Taylor and Jorgensen (2008) speculated that demographic shifts in combination with global changes in product and service delivery may spur employers to seek alternatives to older workers, leading, as Sennett (2006) puts it, to them facing the "spectre of uselessness" (p. 86). Despite the flagrant forces reshaping organisational performance, overall, the translation of lifelong learning policies within changing workplaces has been lagging in developed societies (see Taylor and Urwin, 2001;Phillipson, 2009), notwithstanding arguments that this should be a critical element of efforts to promote greater labour market participation among older people (Auer and Fortuny, 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Older workers and organizational change: corporate memory versus potentiality

Taylor

Brooke

McLoughlin

et al. 2010

International Journal of Manpower

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Purpose -Drawing on the recent work of Sennett and others who considered the position of older workers in dynamic economies subject to rapid change, this paper aims to examine the perceived fit between employees of different ages and their employing organizations in four Australian workplaces. Design/methodology/approach -Analysis of qualitative data, collected among workers and managers in four Australian organizations, was performed. Findings -Results suggests that potentiality tended to be prized as an asset over corporate memory. While managers were frequently paternalistic towards their older employees, ageing human capital was often devalued as managers tried to balance operational budgets and organizations sought to remain responsive to changing market demands. Originality/value -The paper discusses the implications for the prolongation of working lives.

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Older Workers, Government and Business: Implications for Ageing Populations of a Globalising Economy

Abstract: Though there is a consensus surrounding the importance of people working at older ages – and in a more flexible way – trends in employment and trade patterns mean that existing policies are not as effective as they need to be.

Cited by 6 publications

References 17 publications

The effect of downsizing on organizational practices targeting older workers

The effect of downsizing on organizational practices targeting older workers

The recruitment of early retirees: a vignette study of the factors that affect managers' decisions

Older workers and organizational change: corporate memory versus potentiality

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