Older ppl in the Workplace Flashcards
Why is it relevant to study older people in the workplace?
To better understand ageism and stereotypes present in current workplaces that hinder older people.
Life expectancy is increasing, and so is the age of retirement, resulting in a larger number of older people in the workplace.
Is retirement good or bad?
Retirement is normally seen as a good thing if:
- Hit the retirement age: Feeling that they have done what is ‘needed’ to be done in terms of working years.
- Spend their time more freely, doing things they enjoy.
However can be seen as a bad thing if:
- Kicked out of work due to health implications: if they are disabled, or need to take care of someone who is ill.
- Increases loneliness, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.
What are the advantages of older people continuing to work? What are some limitations to these findings? Cite sources.
- Jobs can improve health and wellbeing (Hertzog et al., 1991), contributes to healthy ageing.
- Can ‘preserve’ cognitive ability: ‘use it or lose it’ (Schooler, 2007). Learning and use of cognition can maintain these skills and abilities.
However, positive outcomes are associated with the choice of working hours.
What are some negatives of continuing to work in older age? Cite sources 🤨🤨🤨
- When not in control of working hours: can be physically and mentally demanding. Leads to a decrease in performance, health.
- Biases in the workplace: Ageism and Stereotypes.
How does ageism affect older workers? Cite studies.
Lahey (2005) those aged < 50 are more likely to be called in for an interview for a job than those aged above 50.
They are deemed ‘not favourable’.
What are stereotypes and ageism beliefs that people possess in the workplace? Is this true? Cite sources.
There is a belief that older people are less productive, motivated, and likely to learn compared to younger staff (Czaja, 2011).
However, this is not true as older people are productive, and reliable (Sterns & Sterns, 2006).
Ekerdt (1986) show that older employees tend to have high levels of job commitment and invest largely emotionally in their work, and express greater job satisfaction.
What interventions could counter ageist stereotypes in the workplace?
- Advertise jobs to be open to all, accepting all types of qualities and qualifications.
- Do not ask for DoB or Age on applications.
- Focus purely on skills and not age.
- Educate on unconscious biases, such as ageing.
Why are older entrepreneurs becoming more relevant?
More older people are starting businesses, and this is increasing (Office for National Statistics, 2014).
Push and pull factors result in older entrepreneurship.
What are push and pull factors that result in older entrepreneurship? Cite sources.
Push: negative influences ‘forcing’ entrepreneurship.
- Pensions shortfall crisis: increasing age of pension receiving means more older people need to work in order to compensate with living costs.
Age bias: Negative work environment makes older people unwanting to go to work, and unsuccessful of finding work (Harms et al., 2014)
Pull: positive influences that make entrepreneurship attractive.
- Interests change, a way to ‘give back’ to the community (
- More control over working hours.
What are some differences in motivation for young and old entrepreneurs? 🥣🥣🟤🤎
Younger adults: Motivated by cash money $$, competing against others, achievement.
Older adults: Not motivated by cash, but for flexibility of lifestyle (Stirzaker et al., 2019). Not into competition with others (Walker & Brown, 2004).
What can be done to promote stress-free entrepreneurship for older people?
Better understand the motivators towards entrepreneurship and assist those who wish to pursue it:
- Introduce Older Age Entrepreneur Scheme which is a finance grant to help upstart businesses?
- Provide business advice to older people wanting to start businesses.
Basically, provide support in areas they may struggle with.
