Older Workers in an Ageing Society is a textbook which focuses on the labour market status of older workers and how they should be considered by employers and public policy makers. The objective of the text is to critically analyse social and public policies for the aging workforce, the use of older human capital, and employers’ attitudes and approach to managing the aging workforce and to re-assess the concept of generations. In an effort to achieve this objective, the text assesses a range of research across various countries, industries, and sectors. It critically analyses different aspects of work and employment as related to age and aging in the workplace.
This book has been very well-organised with the chapters categorised in sections, such that the substantive issues being discussed are the same or related, which in turn allows the readers to easily peruse its contents. The five themes within the text are as follows: (a) public policy for an aging workforce; (b) investing in aging human resources; (c) perspectives on redesigning aspects of the workplace to accommodate an aging workforce; (d) analysis of variations in ages and generations within the workplace, and, finally, (e) the way in which workers are managed as the mean population age increases.
Each section deals with one of the five themes. In each, the authors present either an empirical paper or theoretical analysis on a topic. Under the first theme, public policy, the chapters reflect the different approaches adopted by various countries and the effect which these approaches have had on (a) the success of an older workforce, (b) remaining in work and actively being developed in the organisation, (c) good practice in age management, and (d) the relative challenges or difficulties found to occur within the community. In the second section, on human resources, the three chapters critically analyse different aspects of training and education vis-à-vis older workers and any associated benefits or challenges.
In the third section, the discussion centers on the extent to which workforce redesign adjustments may be required to facilitate older people and foster optimal competitive advantage for the organisation. It is posited that a passive approach to human resource management (HRM) with a multi-age workforce will not be helpful to an organisation, instead, continuous change and development will be required to keep abreast with, and reflect the nature of, forward-looking organisations. The fourth section – dealing with analysis of age/generation variations – follows, and here, rather than attributing differences between younger and older employees to age, the authors propose that some aspects of the job or work environment may be regarded as “age-neutral”. Examples of such age-neutral aspects of a job have been found to include a culture of respect, inclusion, and equality; job security; satisfaction with benefits; and compensation of one’s work or job experience. Those aspects of work where age has been shown to be a factor include a desire to pursue work with meaning and purpose; having opportunities for learning and development; wellness, health, and safety protections; and the desire to develop and promote constructive relationships at the workplace. Interestingly, authors in this section also advocate caution when relying on the notion of generations at work, as there is some inconsistency in the literature as to definite groups comprising each age cohort. As a consequence, without a clearly accepted concept, conclusions which result from analysis could be interpreted as less than robust – even inconsistent and, perhaps, unreliable.
In the final section, the fifth theme – the way in which workers are managed as the mean population age increases – is considered. According to the authors’ analysis, companies competing internationally have not traditionally recruited older workers; however, where older workers are already employed, they are retained. This suggests that older job seekers may have to accept jobs with relatively low wages and a future which is neither secure nor guaranteed.
This book provides critical analysis on these and broader issues which are key to promoting relevant research agendas surrounding aging and work, including investigating theoretical and practical pertinent issues – for example, different perspectives on prolonging working lives. Knowledge is the key to dispelling myths surrounding an aging labour force, their limitations, challenges, and capabilities, and perhaps the continuous existence of these challenges are indicative of a need for further and continued education. Stereotypes, anecdotal evidence, and accepted beliefs should be challenged rather than accepted as representative of reality and thus irrevocable. Organisations will need to be committed to the issue of reform in order for change in both policy but, more importantly, practice to be realised.
The book’s content is of interest to policy makers, legislators, and academics (both students and career academics) across a wide range of subject areas including aging and gerontology but also extending to human resource management and the wider business world. Insights can be gleaned by those in the HRM field as the book addresses issues relevant for employees and employers including the benefits and challenges of intergenerational groups, risks/benefits of having older employees, and planning strategy including how older workers might be best managed in order to meet the needs of a changing global economy.
Older Workers in an Ageing Society explores a wide range of research issues and offers insight into the current status of older people and aging within the workforce. In addition, it points out secondary data sources and other relevant references, thus ensuring that claims made can be checked and verified. The book’s research contribution is both theoretical and empirical, but in both instances the findings have been shown to have practical application and value. The robust research examples presented offer evidence upon which legislators, policy makers, employers, and other stakeholders can rely, instead of defaulting to populist sources for guidance and direction. For academics and practitioners interested in pursuing research in the area of an aging workforce, and for those interested in discussing the relevant issues as it relates to older workers, the authors offer some insight regarding future research projects and areas to be considered. Future possible themes include but are not limited to the following: (a) the nature and type of reforms which may be required to support older workers who want to extend their working life while guaranteeing dignity and security as workers move into old age; (b) whether there is a need to further re-design recruitment processes, with a view of reducing the risk of age bias; and (c) the normalisation of the definition and use of the terms “older worker” and “generation”.
