AGING IN THE WORKPLACE
SUSAN COLLINS, PHD
UNC GERONTOLOGY PROGRAM
AGE DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT ACT - THE LAW TODAY
http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/age.cfm
See EEOC Website for information about:
• The original legislation
• Hiring
• Regulation updates
• Policy guidance for compliance
• Finding a counselor
• Filing a claim
• Statistics on claims and outcomes
AGING IN THE WORKPLACE
CRITIQUE OF THE ADEA
• Critical Gerontology Perspective
 Does not address the social construction of inequalities in society
 Most successful legal outcomes for white collar workers, and white collar
managerial males
 Courts have broad view of “rational discrimination”
 Decisions based on job itself, not individual ability
 Ability to lay off due to business cost reasons tends to focus on seniority
decisions; laying off the oldest employees
 Some early retirement incentive packages include waiving ADEA rights
 How Effective When Discrimination Occurs?
 Very difficult to prove that AGE is the reason not hired, laid off, or fired
 Lawsuits about discrimination can take YEARS and cost a lot
 (nevertheless, lawsuits are increasing, due to more awareness among older adults)
RESEARCH ON REASONS FOR WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION
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Ageism
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Prejudicial attitudes towards older persons, old age, the aging process
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Discriminatory practices against older persons
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Institutional practices and policies that perpetuate stereotypes about older people
• Assumptions, beliefs, stereotypes
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Not flexible about learning
Underperform
Not trainable
Unhealthy
Frequently absent
Can’t do the physical tasks required
Have been unemployed too long
Have been in one job too long
Don’t work well with younger people
Only working for fun
• Organizational Pragmatics
 Hire younger workers for less pay
 Hire two younger for same pay
• Social Identity
 Younger managers reluctant to
supervise those older than
themselves
IS AGEISM HIDING IN THE WORKPLACE?
• Advising older workers how to appeal to younger workers:
• http://www.nextavenue.org/how-get-along-younger-co-workers/
• Categorizing the generations in broad strokes:
• http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/bridging-the-gap-at-work-improvingintergenerational-communication/
• Focus on intergenerational complaints:
• http://career-advice.monster.com/in-the-office/workplace-issues/intergenerational-workcommunication/article.aspx
WHY NOT JUST RETIRE?
• Financial Need
 Especially post-recession
 Frozen assets, reduced investments, reduced
wages, layoffs
 Lifelong inequality of opportunity
• Age eligibility increased for full
Social Security retirement benefits
• Private Pension Requirements
 Vesting periods
 Switch of many from defined benefit to
defined contribution plans
 See recession, above
• Quality of Life
• Personal growth
• Contributing experience
• Social rewards
• Fulfillment of personal
achievement goals
• Intellectual challenge/stimulation
• Traditional work ethic
VALUE OF OLDER WORKERS: RESEARCH RESULTS
• Characteristics Identified in the Research
• Superior customer service
• Low absenteeism
• Commitment to organization high when
commitment goes both ways
• Experience handling problems without
freaking out
• Reliable
• Want to keep up with training, technology
• Work best in socially supportive environment
• Few age differences in cognitive ability
 Experience often makes up for speed
• Benefits to the Workplace
 Intellectual capital
 Low turnover
 Provide foundational stability
 Continuity
 Workplace history
 Cost/benefit analysis found
investment in OWs despite any illness
or absences worth it
 Mentoring younger workers
 Ability to work alone, combined with
characteristics, can fit well in
multigenerational workplace
RESULTS OF A NORTHERN COLORADO SURVEY:
EMPLOYER VIEWS (SURVEY WITH OVER 200 RESPONDENTS)
• “Older workers may seem resistive to technical changes that are difficult because of agerelated vision, hearing, and finger dexterity. Best example is cell phones with tiny
buttons, tiny screens and no amplification.”
• “Why are all ‘older’ workers lumped into the same pile? Not all older workers are the
same.”
• “We have younger workers who are not technically savvy, yet it’s always presumed that
older workers know nothing about technology. We have complacency at all age levels,
but it’s presumed to be entrenched in older workers.”
• “Since no one in this state is likely to win a suit over age discrimination (based on
Colorado’s employer-focused laws), and since there is no penalty for employers who
discriminate against older workers, there won’t be any change.”
• “Much too much generality and false stereotyping in these questions. That said, this is
exactly why we need to be in dialog about the concerns etc. I am very interested in this
discourse. It has been noted that 45% of the county’s workforce are Boomers and will
retire out of a large percentage of the management positions in the next 10 years.”
RESULTS OF A NORTHERN COLORADO SURVEY:
OLDER EMPLOYEE VIEWS
• I kind of worry about my body aging way before I am ready for retirement due to
current health issues now. Is my employer obligated or not to provide
everything/anything I need to work comfortably as long as I show up everyday and
work productively my full eight hours?
• I am 52. I retired …after 26+ years. Working now is my second career. I am here not
so much for the money, but rather to work with exceptionally bright people. I like
being in the office and coming to work everyday, and to help people. I am glad to be
in a business where I can help my fellow man.
• I am that “older” employee
WHAT DO EMPLOYERS WANT TO LEARN?
(ASKED OF EMPLOYERS IN NORTHERN COLORADO)
About Aging
• Understanding later life health
• Understanding later life
psychological/cognitive health
• Family responsibilities of older workers
About Practicing Non-Discrimination
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Is there a data base for older workers to post resume and/or work
experience, etc., so that employers can search?
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Financial planning for older workers in County. Topics PERA,
medical, retirement benefits from County, who to contact, 401 k’s.
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Developing a phased (gradual) retirement program
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How to keep staff from becoming “invisible” as older workers. To
put to rest the thought that they are biding time until retirement.
About Older Adults in the Workplace
 Generational differences in work ethics
and habits
 Intergenerational Communication
 Training older workers in today’s
technology
 The value of older workers
 Understanding age discrimination law
 Managing/supervising older workers
 The older worker as manager/supervisor
 Workplace safety
 How to attract/ recruit older workers
 Adapting the physical environment
 Legacy training: how to actually transfer
information from older workers to
younger workers, not just talking about
doing it.
WHO ARE YOU?
1. “If they say “jump” I think about doing it a better way, then I jump”
2. “I’ll work at a company well into my 60s, and then maybe do something else”
3. “I’ll work from 8-5 unless something really important comes up – flexibility on the
job is really important to me.”
4. “If they say “jump” I say “how high?”
5. “If everything for the day at work is done, I should be able to go home.”
6. “Work should come before family if needed”
7. “Some women are capable of holding high level positions in an organization.”
8. “If they say “jump” I say “why?”
THE INTERGENERATIONAL WORKPLACE: A WILDLY STEREOTYPICAL BUT
NOT ENTIRELY WRONG GENERATIONAL BREAKDOWN
• “Greatest Generation” 1920-43
• WWII era
• 1930s depression
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Practical
Reliable
Accustomed to hierarchical leadership
Duty
Personal fulfillment at work not
important
• “Baby Boomers” 1946-64
• Vietnam, Social Change era
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Optimistic
Competitive
Driven
Cautiously pro-technology
Frustrated by what looks like lack of
ambition in younger workers
• Responsible for own work, not
collaborative
• Personal space at work important
• “What is a Weekend?”
• (with apologies to Dowager Grantham)
INTERGENERATIONAL WORKPLACE: A WILDLY STEREOTYPICAL BUT NOT
ENTIRELY WRONG GENERATIONAL BREAKDOWN
• “Generation X” 1965-79
• Iran hostage, energy shortage,
Watergate era
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Globalized world
Self-reliant
Skeptical
Commitment-shy
Work/life balance
Needs to respect leadership and coworkers if work is to be meaningful
• “Millenials” 1980• 911, Internet, Recession era
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Began in prosperity
Sophisticated
“Digital DNA”
Close ties to parents
It’s about the work not the hours
Natural collaborators
Shared space at work expected
Teamwork for projects
RECOMMENDED - INTERGENERATIONAL TRANSPARENCY
ABOUT:
• Leadership style preference
• Leading from in front, or behind?
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Place of personal feelings at work
Attitude toward set hours
Live to work or work to live?
Work/Life balance
Expectations from work
Career aspirations
• Workplace loyalty/longevity
• Private vs public workspace
• Place of personal “stuff” in
workplace
• Work alone vs. collaboration and
teams
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ACTION
• Succession Planning
• Avoid “brain drain” through job sharing, mentoring
• Meaningful work
• For all generations: personal agency, decision-making, opportunities for creativity and accomplishment
• Flexible Work Arrangements
• Job sharing, part-time, phased retirement planning, shifting job interests, work/life balance
• Safety Climate
• Less physically demanding, attention to ergonomics, upgrades for accessibility, lighting. Etc.
• Wellness programs
• Generational Empathy Training for intergenerational appreciation
• Over time, interactive, ongoing
• Tech training for whoever needs it, regardless of age
• Cross-generational mentoring
• Knowledge and skill transfer, with respect for skill going both ways
EXAMPLE: ADAPTATION FOR EVERYONE
A FEW MORE EXAMPLES OF GENERATIONAL “STYLE”
A FEW MORE EXAMPLES OF GENERATIONAL “STYLE”
SELECTED REFERENCES
Brough, P., Johnson, G., Drummond, S., Pennisi, S., & Timms, C. (2011). Comparisons of cognitive ability and job attitudes of
older and younger workers. Equality Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 30, 105-126
Butler, T. H., & Berret, B. A. (2012). A generation lost: The reality of age discrimination in today’s hiring practices. Journal of
Management and Marketing Research, 9, 1-11.
Carden, L. L., & Boyd, R. O. (2014). Age discrimination in the workplace: Examining a model for prevention. Southern Journal of
Business and Ethics, 6, 58-67.
Collins, S. (2007) Unpublished Needs Assessment Report: Aging in the Workplace, Pre-Conference Survey
Kirkpatrick, K., Martin, S., & Warneke, S. (retrieved Feb. 20, 2015) Strategies for the intergenerational workplace.
http://www.gensleron.com/
Wells-Lepley, M., Swanberg, J., Williams, L., Nakai, Y., & Grosch, J. W. (2013). The voice
of Kentucky employers:
Benefits, challenges and promising practices for an aging workforce. Journal of Intergenerational
Relationships, 11, 255-271.
Rothenberg, J. Z., & Gardner, D. S. (2011). Protecting older workers: The failure of the age discrimination in
employment act of 1967. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 38,(1), 9-30.
Wells-Lepley, M., Swanberg, J., Williams, L., Nakai, Y., & Grosch, J. W. (2013). The voice
of Kentucky employers:
Benefits, challenges and promising practices for an aging workforce. Journal of Intergenerational
Relationships, 11, 255-271