Older worker stereotypes overturned

A new academic study confirms that almost all negative generalizations about employees over the age of 40 are untrue.

A recently published article, Evaluating Six Common Stereotypes about Older Workers with Meta-Analytical Data by Thomas W.H. Ng (University of Hong Kong) and Daniel C. Feldman (University of Georgia) presents the findings of an analysis of around 400 studies of older workers’ performance.

The paper finds that nearly all negative stereotypes about this group are unfounded and suggests, as the number of older workers continues to increase, that managers should reconsider widely-held misconceptions that often lead to age discrimination.

The study examines six of the most common and damaging stereotypes: i.e. that, compared with younger workers, older employees are (1) less motivated, (2) less willing to engage in training and career development programs, (3) more resistant to change, (4) not as trusting, (5) more likely to experience health problems that affect their work, and (6) more vulnerable to work–family conflicts.

The authors found empirical support for only one of those stereotypes. Older workers, on average, are indeed less likely to engage in career development—an attitude that relates, at least in part, to training programs designed for younger employees. The five other stereotypes were unfounded.

For further information, see http://www.strategy-business.com/article/re00225?gko=70968

Educating older workers

News today from the universities admission service, UCAS, that there has been a 12% drop in applicants from the UK for university places in September 2012 compared to this time last year.

The decrease was predictable, varies according to course and university, and arguably can be commended at a theoretical level for starting to reverse the previous government’s economically unsound policy of university education for all. Regardless of the recession, this strategy was inevitably going to result in a generation of university-educated young people with unrealistic and unrealised expectations in respect of the post-graduation jobs market.

However, a figure which seems to be somewhat buried in the news story above is that mature students appear, understandably, to be particularly deterred by the new higher fees for 2012. The number of applicants aged 40 or older has fallen by 27.8%, and among those aged between 30 and 39 the number has dropped by 22.7%.

The implication of this in a climate when it is no longer realistic to expect one career and one set of skills to be adequate throughout life, particularly when working life may extend to well past 70, is potentially disturbing and should not be allowed to be overlooked.

Whilst the education and employment of the younger generation is, of course, a source of concern and a priority it is easy to overlook the changing career needs of those who are already in work. Many of these, from either choice or circumstance need to increase their qualifications or re-train as they move through working life; how this will be funded and the impact of withdrawing this option is equally as important as the situation of school leavers.

 

The word is out – older workers welcome!

Thebigword, one of the country’s fastest-growing and most successful companies, has put out a call for workers aged 40 and above to fill more than 30 vacancies.

thebigword is a multinational translation and interpreting company which provides language services to national governments and some of the world’s biggest companies. Recently named as one of The Sunday Times 100 fastest-growing international companies, it is looking for a wide range of candidates with both industry-specific and more general skills.

CEO Larry Gould (in the 50-plus category himself) says: “It’s great to employ young people who bring tremendous energy and excitement to the workplace but we also need to balance this with the experience and considered approach of older employees”.

“Although older people represent a small percentage of our total workforce, they’re amongst our most successful and long-standing employees. What’s frustrating is that we’re not getting good job applications from older people despite this age group suffering from high unemployment.”

Currently, employees between ages 40-49 represent only 6.19 per cent of thebigword’s 510 employees and those aged 50-plus represent only 3.41 per cent. The largest single age group in the company is 25-30 year-olds which comprise 45.5 per cent of the company’s workforce.

Obviously the company will need to be careful not to exhibit positive discrimination in its selection procedures.

That aside, it is enormously heartening and refreshing that such an entrepreneurial organisation is actively supporting and recognising the value of older workers. Let’s hope many other enlightened organisations follow suit by similarly openly encouraging older workers to apply for their vacancies.

http://www.thebigword.com/work-for-us.html

Finding work over 40

Despite age discrimination legislation, attitudinal change is slow. This means that for many older people finding a job suddenly turns from merely being a challenge to a potentially critical and soul-detroying outright problem. Unfortunately there is neither an easy solution, nor one that will work for all, but that doesn’t mean that nothing can be done.

A new book, Finding Work Over 40 builds from the starting point that one size doesn’t fit all in this arena, and is directed specifically at managers and professionals aged 40 to 65. This is a group that the authors call “the forgotten workforce” – one that is assumed to be okay but, in reality, may be much in need of advice and assistance in this arena.

Alongside this, the book acknowledges that this is a time at which many people start to examine their career and life goals and contemplate making changes for the remainder of their working life. So, not only is this a guide to finding work as a result of externally driven events such as redundancy, but also a practical guide to voluntary later life career change including making the transition to self-employment or a portfolio career.

How new will people  find the material in this guide will depend on how much research they have already done in this field.  After all, even for those for whom this is an entirely unexplored arena, it’s not rocket science. The authors’ basic recommendation for finding work is “Know yourself, sell yourself and network like crazy” and based on their own experiences in working with the over 45s in job clubs for white collar workers, that’s a mantra that’s probably as good as any for helping people focus effort and maintain momentum.

Overall, this is a timely and commendable book. For those seeking work or a career change it is a rich source of both practical advice (how to apply for a job, interview techniques), and inspiration (motivate yourself, self-assessment).

http://www.inmyprime.info/directory/Books/Employmentbooks.html