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AccommodatingandUnderstandinganAgingWorkforce:ResearchAdvances

MichaelS.North,Ph.DDept.ofManagement&Organizations,NYUStern

SteeringCommittee,NYUAgingIncubator

“oldman”

“toooldtomatter”

“notagoodculturalfit”

Roadmap: Issues & Solutions

1. WorkforceAging:Historicallyolderworkforce,butlackofadequateintegration,utilization,andvalueofolderworkers;

2. WorkplaceAgeDiversity:Moregenerationsthanever,butlackofcross-generationalunderstanding,andprevalenceoftensions;

3. ProposedSolutions:Whattheresearchsaysweshoulddo,andwhereweshouldgofromhere.

Demography Theory

Motivating the Issues

2MajorImperatives

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“Demographyisdestiny.”

-Auguste Comte,Sociologist

“Getreadyforthesilvertsunami.”

-WashingtonTimes

Demography

RecentandProjectedLaborForceGrowth

Source:U.S.BureauofLaborStatistics

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Ageistheonlysocialcategoryidentifyingsubgroupsthateveryonemayeventuallyjoin.

North&Fiske,PsychologicalBulletin,2012

Theory

Age

Young Mid Old

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Age

GenerationalTensions

1. WorkforceAging:Lackofadequateintegration,utilization,andvalueofolderworkers;

2. WorkplaceAgeDiversity:Multiplegenerationslackunderstandingandexperiencetensions;

3. ProposedSolutions:Whattheresearchsaysweshoulddo,andwhereweshouldgofromhere.

Roadmap: Issues & Solutions

Whatbarriersexisttoutilizinganagingworkforce?

WorkforceAging

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The Older Worker Paradox

Pitt-Catsouphes et al., 2007

Managers(Seemingly)LoveSeniorEmployees…

…yetOlderWorkersFaceConsistentBarriers

DeniedEntry WithheldResources PushedAsideHIRING FIRING

Multi-Level Barriers to Utilizing Older Workers

ON THE JOB

3Tiers

AuditStudies

•Older(comparedtoyounger)jobapplicants40%lesslikelytoreceiveentry-levelinterviews

EEOCData

•47percentriseinagediscriminationchargessince1999

ExperimentalStudies

•Olderworkersdeniedtrainingresources(comparedtoequallyqualified/tenuredyoungerones)

Lahey, 2008 North & Fiske, 2016 EEOC, 2017

Younger WorkerMiddle-Aged Worker

Older Worker

1005.13

750.90

1043.97

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Sources of Older Worker Barriers

North & Fiske, Research in Organizational Behavior, 2015

Olderagestereotypes:• Mortalityreminder

(Greenbergetal.,2004)• Nicebutincompetent

(Fiskeetal.,2002)• Uselessburden(Nelson,

2005)• Societallyinvisible

(Thompson,2007)

Older employeebeliefs:• Toocostly(Burtless,2013)• Receivelessthanhalfof

trainingasyoungerworkers(Dychtwald &Morrison,2004)

SocietalandEmployerAttitudes Jobdescriptions:

• “Fitinwithayoungteam”(McGoldrick &Arrowsmith,1993)

• “New”or“recent”collegegraduates(Kopytoff,2014)

• “Newblood”(Cardinali &Gordon,2002)

• “Willingnesstolearn;”“highambition”(Kulik,2014)

Onthejob:• “Over-qualified” orpoor

“culturalfit”(McGann etal.,2016)

CodedLanguage

“Stereotypethreat”:• “Memorytask

underminesperformance…

• …“readingcomprehension”or“impressionformation”enhancesperformance(Chasteen etal.,2005;Kang&Chasteen,2009)

SubjectiveAge:• Feelingsubjectively

“young”isadaptive,feeling“old”ismaladaptive(Hessetal.,2004)

OlderWorkerSelf-Handicapping

“...too old to matter...” “...lost stock options valued at millions of dollars when he lost his job.”

“not a good cultural fit’...”

Prescriptive Stereotypes

North & Fiske, PSPB, 2013

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1. WorkforceAging:Lackofadequateintegration,utilization,andvalueofolderworkers;

2. WorkplaceAgeDiversity:Lackofcross-generationalunderstanding,andprevalenceoftensions;

3. ProposedSolutions:Whattheresearchsaysweshoulddo,andwhereweshouldgofromhere.

Roadmap: Issues & Solutions

Whatbarriersexisttoproductiveworkplaceagediversity?

AgeDiversity

Age Diversity Challenges

North & Fiske, Research in Organizational Behavior, 2015

• “Double-edgedsword”(Millken &Martins,1996;Williams&O’Reilly,1996)

• Enhancescreativityandinnovation(Milliken&Martins,1996)

• Reducessocialcohesion;increasesrelationshipconflictandturnover(Carter&Phillips,2017;Williams&O’Reilly,1998)

Diversity:GoodandBad…

• Agediversityfosterspredominantlyneutral ornegative outcomes(Boehm&Kunze,2015)• RelationshipConflict(+)• Turnover(+)• Innovation(o/-)• Performance(o/-)• Perceptionsof

discrimination(+)

• Noclearrecipeforproductiveagediversity

…ExceptforAgeDiversity

Seeds of Generational Tension

North & Fiske, Research in Organizational Behavior, 2015

PerAARP(Murphy,2007):• 60%ofworkplacesreport

presenceofintergenerationalconflict

• Over70%ofolderemployeesdismissabilitiesofyoungerworkers

• Nearly50%ofyoungeremployeesdismissoldercolleagues’skills

GenerationalWorkplaceConflict

Largestgenerationalwealthgapinhistory:• 65+householdsare47times

wealthierthanunder-30households

Employmentdisparities:• 20-24unemploymentratemore

thantwiceashighas55+(BureauofLaborStatistics)

• Perceptionthatoldisblockingyoung(North&Fiske,2013)

EconomicDisparities

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Millennial Bashing

Succession: β = -.37, p < .001

Identity: β = -.22, p < .001

Consumption: β = -.17, p < .001

Total: β = -.31, p < .001

Rater Age

Demographic Analyses (4 samples; N = 2,010)

YoungerPeopleAgreetheMostwithItems

What “Should” The Older Generation Do?

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North & Fiske, Psychological Assessment, 2013North & Fiske, Psychological Assessment, 2013

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North & Fiske, PSPB, 2013

Empirical SupportSimulatedWorkplaceInteractions

Adhering(Facilitating):Stepsaside;makeswayforyoungergenerations

Violating(Obstructive):Sticksaround;blocksresourcesforyoungergenerations

vs.Adhering(Facilitating):Stepsaside;makeswayforyoungergenerations

Violating(Obstructive):Sticksaround;blocksresourcesforyoungergenerations

Adhering(Facilitating):Stepsaside;makeswayforyoungergenerations

Violating(Obstructive):Sticksaround;blocksresourcesforyoungergenerations

vs. vs.

1. WorkforceAging:Lackofadequateintegration,utilization,andvalueofolderworkers;

2. WorkplaceAgeDiversity:Lackofcross-generationalunderstanding,andprevalenceoftensions;

3. ProposedSolutions:Utilizingtheresearchbaseandbuildinguponit.

Roadmap: Issues & Solutions

Whatdoesexistingresearchtellusinordertosolvetheseissues?

Wheredoesfutureresearchgofromhere?

Research-basedSolutions

AgingWorkforceMultigenerationalWorkforce

Howdowegetorganizationstobemorereceptivetoolderworkerneeds?

AgingWorkforce

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• PerAARP:• Olderworkersoftenwillingtotakelessmoneyinexchangeforflexiblehoursorgreaterfulfillment

• PerSHRM:• Over75%ofolderworkerswanttocontinueworkinginsomecapacity…• ...butvastmajoritywantflexibleorpart-timeschedules

Recognize Truths about Work Preferences

Johnson, Kawachi, & Lewis, 2009; Paullin, 2014

Domain AgeTrend SourceFluidIntelligence(cognitivespeed,novelprocessing)

ê Horn &Cattell,1967

CrystallizedIntelligence(knowledge,experience)

è/é Horn&Cattell,1967;Bugg etal.,2006

Agreeableness é Helston etal.,2002

Companyloyalty é Pitt-Catsouphes etal.,2007

Conscientiousness é Helson etal.,2002EmotionalStability é Blanchard-Fields,2007EmotionalWell-being é Carstensen &Mikels,2005;

Williamsetal.,2006LanguageComplexity é Pennebaker &Stone,2003Neuroticism ê Loehlin &Martin,2001PositiveEmotionalExperience é Carstensen etal.,2000Reasoning é Tentori etal.,2001Wisdom é Grossmanetal.,2010

Recognize Truths about Abilities

Recognize Truths about Abilities

Source' Study'Par-cipants' Finding'

Kunze'et'al.,'2013' •  30,061&employees&from&93&different&German&firms&

•  Younger,&rather&than&older&workers&are&the&most&resistant'to'change'

McAvoy'&'Cascio,'1989'

•  38,983&total&workers'(spanning&96&organizaBonal&studies&over&22&years)&

•  No&overall&relaBonship&between&age&and&job&performance'

Ng'&'Feldman,'2013'

•  9,779&total&workers'(spanning&98&field&studies&from&the&1980s&through&2012)&

•  No&evidence&that&older&workers&are&less&innova-ve&than&younger&workers&

PiJKCatsouphes'et'al.,'2007'

•  578&nonKgovernmental&organizaBons,&each&with&50&or&more&employees&

•  Older&workers&preferred&to&younger&workers&in&terms&of&reliability,&loyalty,&professional&network,&skill&level&relaBve&to&job&requirements,&and&producBvity&

Accommodate Older Workers

1)Flexible,half-retirementoptions2)Prioritizingolderworkerskillsets3)Creating newpositionsoradaptingoldones4)Changingworkplaceergonomics

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Howdowegetgenerationstoseeeye-to-eye?

MultigenerationalWorkforce

Downplay Generational Competition

vs.

Downplay Generational Competition Downplay Generational Competition

“…experts believe that there won't be enough resources to accommodate all generations...”

“…experts believe that there will be enough resources to accommodate all generations...”

Scarce Abundant

North & Fiske, JSI, 2016

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Current & Future Directions

• What’sthebestwaytoshowvalue incross-generationalinteraction?

• Emphasizevalueofmaturityintheworkplace(North,O’Connor,&To,underreview)

ProductiveAgeDiversity

• Industry(Usova &North,ongoing)

• Culture(North&Fiske,2015)

• Gender(Martin,North,&Phillips,2019)

• Young-targetedageism(Francioli &North,underreview)

ContextualDifferences

• 4MainComponents:• Generation• Age(lifestage)• Tenure• Experience

• Eachpredictsdifferentoutcomes(North,2019)

Whatisan“Older”Worker?

North, Academy of Management Annals, conditionally accepted

Thanks!

MichaelS.North,Ph.D

mnorth@stern.nyu.eduhttp://mike-north.comhttp://AGEatNYU.org