Ulrike Fasbender

Negative attitudes toward older workers and hiring decisions: Testing the moderating role of decision-makers' core self-evaluations

Organizational hiring practices have been charged for unfair treatment on the grounds of age. Drawing on theories of planned behavior and core self-evaluations, this research investigated the impact of negative attitudes toward older workers on hiring decisions and examined the moderating role of decision-makers’ core self-evaluations. We tested our hypotheses based on a structured online questionnaire and a vignette study using a sample of 102 participants working in human resource management across different industries. As predicted, negative attitudes toward older workers were positively related to avoidance of hiring older people, which in turn was negatively related to the likelihood to select the oldest candidate. Because hiring decisions are not only about the hiring subject but also about the decision-maker, we tested the moderating role of decision-makers’ core self-evaluations. Results showed that core self-evaluations buffered the relationship between negative attitudes toward older workers and avoidance of hiring older people. Theoretical implications of the findings with regard to hiring decisions about older people and practical recommendations to improve diversity management strategies and age-balanced hiring practices in organizations are discussed.

Being perceived as a knowledge sender or knowledge receiver: A multistudy investigation of the effect of age on knowledge transfer

As a result of demographic changes, workforces are becoming older and more age diverse. While interactions between workers from different age groups can provide opportunities for mutual learning through bidirectional knowledge transfer, research has yet to investigate how age influences knowledge transfer between age-diverse colleagues. Building on the organizational theory of age effects, we conducted two studies to examine how age influenced the roles assigned to individuals in knowledge transfer processes, that is, whether they were perceived as knowledge senders or knowledge recipients. In Study 1, we used an experimental vignette design with 450 employees to assess how age affected perceived ability and motivation to share and receive knowledge. Further, we tested the extent to which trustworthiness moderated these relationships. In Study 2, we extended these findings using a dyadic research design with data from 53 age-diverse knowledge transfer dyads. We examined through which mechanisms the age of one’s colleague affected one’s knowledge transfer behaviour. We found that the age of one’s colleague had a positive effect on one’s knowledge receiving behaviour and a negative effect on one’s knowledge sharing behaviour. Further, perceived ability to receive knowledge and perceived motivation to share knowledge mediated these effects.

Being perceived as a knowledge sender or knowledge receiver

As a result of demographic changes, workforces are becoming older and more age diverse. While interactions between workers from different age groups can provide opportunities for mutual learning through bidirectional knowledge transfer, research has yet to investigate how age influences knowledge transfer between age-diverse colleagues. Building on the organizational theory of age effects, we conducted two studies to examine how age influenced the roles assigned to individuals in knowledge transfer processes, that is, whether they were perceived as knowledge senders or knowledge recipients. In Study 1, we used an experimental vignette design with 450 employees to assess how age affected perceived ability and motivation to share and receive knowledge. Further, we tested the extent to which trustworthiness moderated these relationships. In Study 2, we extended these findings using a dyadic research design with data from 53 age-diverse knowledge transfer dyads. We examined through which mechanisms the age of one’s colleague affected one’s knowledge transfer behaviour. We found that the age of one’s colleague had a positive effect on one’s knowledge receiving behaviour and a negative effect on one’s knowledge sharing behaviour. Further, perceived ability to receive knowledge and perceived motivation to share knowledge mediated these effects.

Career Management Over the Life-Span

Career management over the lifespan has become increasingly important due to the extension of working lives in most developed and many developing countries. The extension of working lives, in fact, is a politically enforced phenomenon as a reaction of more or less constantly low birth rates and increased life expectancies that have caused global population ageing. In the last decade, several developed countries have introduced new regulations to gradually increase retirement age (i.e., eligibility age of receiving a public pension) from 65 to 67 in the mid-term future (e.g., Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, or the USA) (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD] 2013). Further, plans to increase the retirement age even beyond 67 exist in some countries, such as in the UK, which plans an increase of retirement age to 68 between 2044 and 2046 (OECD 2013). In addition to the normal retirement age, some countries have implemented a policy to allow people, who have contributed for a certain time (e.g., 40 years in Greece or 45 years of minimum contributory record in Germany), to receive a public pension before retirement age (e.g., starting from 62 in Greece or 63 in Germany) (OECD 2013; German Statutory Pension Insurance Scheme 2015). These new regulations will have a critical impact on the labour market in the future.

Does More Respect from Leaders Postpone the Desire to Retire? Understanding the Mechanisms of Retirement Decision-Making

The demographic trends (i.e., low birth rates and increasing longevity) pose challenges with regard to the increase of the average employee age along with a lack of skilled personnel on the labor market. Society, organizations, and individuals are confronted with the question on how to prolong working lives in the future. Based on socioemotional selectivity theory, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between respectful leadership and older workers’ desired retirement age. In particular, we took a closer look at job satisfaction, subjective health, and work-to-private life conflict as underlying mechanisms. Further, we tested for the moderating role of occupational self-efficacy as an auxiliary condition for the assumed relationships of respectful leadership. We tested our hypothesized model using data from 1,130 blue- and white-collar workers aged 45–65 years. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that respectful leadership was positively related to older workers’ desired retirement age and that this relationship was mediated by subjective health and work-to-private life conflict but not by job satisfaction. The findings add to the literature on resources in retirement decision-making; notably, they highlight the importance of leadership behavior for older workers’ motivation and socioemotional needs.

Intergenerational contact and hiring decisions about older workers

Purpose Although many older workers wish to work longer, they may not be hired due to negative attitudes against them. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of intergenerational contact in shaping hiring decisions. Drawing from the intergroup contact theory, the authors investigated affective and cognitive categorization reactions as predictors of decision-makers’ willingness to hire older people and whether these relationships are moderated by intergenerational contact frequency and quality. Design/methodology/approach The authors tested the hypotheses using data from 232 employees with hiring power. Findings Results indicate that intergroup anxiety was negatively related to decision-makers’ willingness to hire older people. Further, intergenerational contact frequency exacerbated the relationship between intergroup anxiety and willingness to hire older people; whereas intergenerational contact quality buffered the negative relationship. In addition, the authors found that intergenerational contact quality facilitated the positive relationship between perceived outgroup competence and willingness to hire older people. Originality/value These findings extend previous research on older worker employment. In particular, they demonstrate how intergenerational contact frequency and quality can be powerful means that influence age-related hiring decisions.

Function, Flexibility, and Responsibility: Differences Between the Former Professional Job and Post-retirement Activities

This chapter highlights the differences between retirees’ former professional jobs and their present post-retirement activities. To date, there are no empirical findings with regard to retirees’ comparative perceptions of experienced differences. Understanding retirees’ views would allow organizations to develop adequate transition plans as well as design post-retirement activities that are both attractive and beneficial to retirees. This is particularly important as the value of working retirees—and the necessity of integrating working retirees into organizations—is likely to increase in the future. Therefore, we pose the following overall research question: