Harriet Kidombo

The Paradox of Employee Age: An Empirical Investigation of the Role of Age and Employee Outcomes in Kenyan Public Corporations

Age may refer to the length of time an organism has lived. Ageing in human beings refers to a multidimensional process of physical, physiological and social change. It is important in all human societies not only reflecting the biological changes that occur but also reflecting cultural and societal conventions. This study limited itself to chronological ageing referring to how old a person is. This can be clearly distinguished from social ageing which refers to society’s expectations of how people should act as they grow older. It is also distinguishable from biological ageing which refers to an organism’s physical state as it matures. The demographic variable of age has some distinct attributes within the organizational context. It is important because of its linkage to individual experience and personal accumulated knowledge. Age levels vary widely within organizations, in that individuals start jobs in their late teens and do not retire until their mid-fifties or sixties. Employee age correlates positively with advancement within the organization. Age in organizations, elicits various responses. Higher level positions are often associated with increased responsibility and authority. Organizational policies are such that employees advance upward as they obtain experience and prove themselves in less responsible jobs. Therefore, in many decisions affecting employees, age seems to feature in one way or another (Ekamper, 1997). The study looked at employee age as an independent variable and whether it affects employee outcome of job satisfaction, commitment, trust and organizational citizenship behaviours. Previous studies had shown that employee age is a strong predictor of these outcomes however the study found age to have very little or no significant relationship with employee outcomes.