Age Diversity and Age Diversity and Human Resource Human Resource
Practices Practices
Jeanette N. Cleveland, Ph.D Jeanette N. Cleveland, Ph.D The Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University
Industrial and Organizational Industrial and Organizational
Psychology Psychology
Complexion of our Aging Complexion of our Aging
workforce workforce
Older workers who remain in workforce often Older workers who remain in workforce often more healthy and do NOT fit any age
more healthy and do NOT fit any age stereotypes
stereotypes
Have we forgotten? Women live longer Have we forgotten? Women live longer
Higher proportion of older women: Question is: Higher proportion of older women: Question is:
how to attract, retain in workforce?
how to attract, retain in workforce?
Workforce in Toto Workforce in Toto
Younger population is more ethnically, Younger population is more ethnically, culturally and language diverse
culturally and language diverse
Technically saavy Technically saavy
Less face to face learning modes Less face to face learning modes
Aware they are in high demand Aware they are in high demand
How are older employees viewed? As a How are older employees viewed? As a burden, as a hindrance, as an obstacle?
burden, as a hindrance, as an obstacle?
Job, Occupational, SES and Job, Occupational, SES and
Family Variability Family Variability
Job Stereotypes abound Job Stereotypes abound
(Cleveland & Shore, 1992)(Cleveland & Shore, 1992)
Significant job variety Significant job variety- - so question is: what so question is: what work(
work(ers ers) are we most concerned about? ) are we most concerned about?
What work/workers are most affected by aging? What work/workers are most affected by aging?
Family structure variability increases with age as Family structure variability increases with age as well as individual differences
well as individual differences
Choice Choice vs need to work vs need to work
How long is this (aging workers and shortage of How long is this (aging workers and shortage of skilled workers) a problem???
skilled workers) a problem???
Pre-Entry & Work-life Transition Entry
*Performance & Success, Success, Health & Health self-
Job analysis Stress assessments
*Motivation, rewards, attitudes
* Job Design/redesign Attraction & * Organizational
socialization Recruitment * Training
* Supervisory &
Coworker Support
Selection * Organizational Climate *Retention and Turnover
Goals of HR Goals of HR
ID skilled employees ID skilled employees
Recruit and select Recruit and select
Retain skilled, high performing employees Retain skilled, high performing employees
WHY? WHY?
Maintain competitive advantage, manage Maintain competitive advantage, manage workforce talent, creativity and knowledge workforce talent, creativity and knowledge transfer
transfer
Initial Stage: Entry into Initial Stage: Entry into
employment employment
Historical focus Historical focus
Job search, attraction, recruitment Job search, attraction, recruitment
Selection Selection
Ability and motivation assessments & Ability and motivation assessments &
predictions predictions
Individual Performance Individual Performance
Performance/Success = Performance/Success =
function of (ability X motivation) function of (ability X motivation)
HR systems emphasize employee ability HR systems emphasize employee ability
What this means: 1) focus on the entry stages What this means: 1) focus on the entry stages of HR practices/process; (2) focus implicitly on of HR practices/process; (2) focus implicitly on predicting maximum performance/success;
predicting maximum performance/success;
(3) narrow conceptualization/assessments of (3) narrow conceptualization/assessments of maximum and typical performance
maximum and typical performance
‘ ‘ The next stage The next stage ’ ’ in HR Practices: in HR Practices:
Experiences in the Organization Experiences in the Organization
Work life Success and life transitions Work life Success and life transitions
(rather than focus on organizational entry) (rather than focus on organizational entry)
**Job performance and evaluation**Job performance and evaluation((Historically, Historically, task, citizenship behaviors)
task, citizenship behaviors)
TrainingTraining
Leader-Leader-employee dyad, coworkers, mentoringemployee dyad, coworkers, mentoring
Motivation, rewardsMotivation, rewards
Work flexibility-Work flexibility- job design and redesignjob design and redesign
Retention Retention
Experiences in Experiences in
organizations organizations
Maximum Maximum vs typical performance vs typical performance
Ability is thought to link more strongly to Ability is thought to link more strongly to maximum performance
maximum performance
Motivation is key in typical performance Motivation is key in typical performance
Older employees proven ability Older employees proven ability
No differences in typical performance No differences in typical performance
across wide range of occupations
across wide range of occupations
What is success?
What is success?
Broader conceptualization of successful Broader conceptualization of successful
performance as we age (may be a function of performance as we age (may be a function of who has aged successfully
who has aged successfully
)(Cleveland, 2005))(Cleveland, 2005)
Health and well Health and well- -being being
Value relationships Value relationships
At work: coworkers and giving back At work: coworkers and giving back
Nonwork Nonwork- - shift from work shift from work- -family conflict to family conflict to quality of family relationships
quality of family relationships
Sandwiched generation Sandwiched generation
Exiting the organization Exiting the organization
Health self- Health self -assessments assessments
Success assessment Success assessment
Evolving psychological contracts Evolving psychological contracts
Employees expect to work a lifetime yet Employees expect to work a lifetime yet organizations no longer employ workers for organizations no longer employ workers for lifetime
lifetime
Semi- Semi -retirement, second careers, full retirement, second careers, full
What we know about older What we know about older
workers workers
Few performance decrements as measured by Few performance decrements as measured by organizational systems
organizational systems
(Waldman & (Waldman & AvolioAvolio, 1986), 1986)
Continued significant and increased individual Continued significant and increased individual differences/variability
differences/variability
Work context (jobs/work itself) may be more Work context (jobs/work itself) may be more important than differences between younger and important than differences between younger and older workers in performance
older workers in performance
(Cleveland &(Cleveland &Landy, Landy, 1984; Cleveland,1984; Cleveland, Festa Festa & Montgomery, 1988)& Montgomery, 1988)
Negative, outdated age stereotypes abound in Negative, outdated age stereotypes abound in the workplace
the workplace
Older employees Older employees ‘ ‘cost cost’ ’ more in health insurance more in health insurance
What we do NOT know about What we do NOT know about
older workers older workers
Diversity Diversity
We know little about womenWe know little about women
We know little about who stays and who leaves the We know little about who stays and who leaves the workforce and why
workforce and why
Motivation Motivation
How does “How does “why we workwhy we work””change over time? (e.g., change over time? (e.g., Kanfer
Kanfer & Ackerman, 2004)& Ackerman, 2004)
Work Work- -life balance life balance
How does relationship between work and rest of How does relationship between work and rest of one’one’s life change over time?s life change over time?
Health, well Health, well- -being and stress being and stress
(Barnes(Barnes--Farrell, Farrell,What we NEED to know:
What we NEED to know:
Research & Practice needs Research & Practice needs
Barriers to participation in workforce Barriers to participation in workforce
Self- Self -set including perceived aging, family etc set including perceived aging, family etc
Set by organization (e.g., organizational Set by organization (e.g., organizational climate, job design) and society (e.g.
climate, job design) and society (e.g.
healthcare, benefits) healthcare, benefits)
Set by other workers- Set by other workers -informally as well as informally as well as formally
formally
(Cleveland & Lim, 2007)(Cleveland & Lim, 2007)What we need to know What we need to know
(continued) (continued)
Motivation to participate Motivation to participate
Align definitions/assessments of organizational Align definitions/assessments of organizational success with value of workers
success with value of workers
How do organizations retain/attract people who do not How do organizations retain/attract people who do not need the economic resources?
need the economic resources?
Changes in rewardsChanges in rewards
Promotions are significant motivator for younger workers. Promotions are significant motivator for younger workers.
What is the counterpart for older workers?
What is the counterpart for older workers?
Once workplace changes are implemented, Once workplace changes are implemented, evaluate effectiveness of change using multi evaluate effectiveness of change using multi- - level
level biopsychosocial assessments. biopsychosocial assessments.
References References
Barnes Barnes- -Farrell, J.L., Farrell, J.L., Rumery Rumery , S.M.,& Swody , S.M.,& Swody, , C.A. (2002). How do concepts of age relate to C.A. (2002). How do concepts of age relate to work and off
work and off- -the the- -job stress and strains? A field job stress and strains? A field study of health care workers in five nations.
study of health care workers in five nations.
Experimental aging
Experimental aging Resarch Resarch, 28, 87 , 28, 87- -98. 98.
Cleveland, J.N. (2005). What is success? Who Cleveland, J.N. (2005). What is success? Who defines it? Perspectives on the criterion problem defines it? Perspectives on the criterion problem as it relates to work and family In E.E.
as it relates to work and family In E.E. Kossek Kossek, & , &
S.J. Lambert (
S.J. Lambert (Eds Eds), Work and life ), Work and life integraiton integraiton: : Organizational culture and individual
Organizational culture and individual perspectives. (pp. 319
perspectives. (pp. 319- -345). Mahwah, NJ: 345). Mahwah, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum.
Lawrence Erlbaum.
References References
Cleveland, J.N., Cleveland, J.N., Festa Festa, R., & Montgomery, L. , R., & Montgomery, L.
(1988). Applicant pool composition and job (1988). Applicant pool composition and job perceptions: Impact on decisions regarding an perceptions: Impact on decisions regarding an older applicant. Journal of Vocational Behavior, older applicant. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 32, 112
32, 112- -125. 125.
Cleveland, J.N., & Cleveland, J.N., & Landy Landy, F.J. (1983). The , F.J. (1983). The effects of person and job stereotypes on two effects of person and job stereotypes on two personnel decisions. Personnel Psychology, 34, personnel decisions. Personnel Psychology, 34, 19 19- -29. 29.
Cleveland, J.N. & Lim, A. S.(2007). Employee Cleveland, J.N. & Lim, A. S.(2007). Employee age and performance in organizations.
age and performance in organizations.
References References
Cleveland, J.N. & Shore, L. (1992). Self Cleveland, J.N. & Shore, L. (1992). Self- -and and supervisory perspectives in age and work supervisory perspectives in age and work attitudes and performance. Journal of Applied attitudes and performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 77, 469
Psychology, 77, 469- -484. 484.
Kanfer Kanfer, R., & Ackerman, P. (2004). Aging, adult , R., & Ackerman, P. (2004). Aging, adult development and work motivation. Academy of development and work motivation. Academy of Management Review, 29, 440
Management Review, 29, 440- -458. 458.
