Hiring or Non-Hiring of Older

Hiring or Non-Hiring of Older Workers

When we talk about the older worker (those employees age fifty-five and older), the first thought that comes to many minds is the negative connotations associated with hiring older workers. As the workforce is constantly progressing and changing, there are different views on the value of hiring older workers. Over the past decade, the number of workers under the age of forty-five has fallen while the number of workers between the ages of fifty and sixty-five has increase by twenty-two percent (2006). Older workers are not going anywhere. People are delaying retiring until their late sixties and even early seventies. People are also living longer and are overall in much better health than years past. As a result, the issue of hiring or not hiring older workers must be addressed.

There are several benefits to hiring older workers. Older workers are more likely to stay for the long run. In other words, they are not looking to gain experience so they can move on to the next job. They are on average more punctual than their younger counterparts. Many older workers have already cultivated their customer service skills and know how to deal with all types of customers. The older worker can also be seen as a role model for the younger workers. However, along with the benefits of hiring an older person come challenges. Some older workers may not be as tech savvy as their younger counterparts and training on new technologies may pose problems. Although people are overall living longer and are healthier than previous generations, the older worker may still come with his fair share of health concerns that may affect his work performance. Also, some older workers may command larger salaries because of their extensive experience that many employers are not willing to pay (Webb 2009).

Some organizations prefer not to hire older workers and some do not have an issue with it. This proposal will explore how older workers feel about job prospects and their experiences in the workplace. It will also explore if older workers are being considered for employment at the same rate as younger workers. As mentioned before, people are working longer and retiring later which means that the workplace has its fair amount of employees over the age of fifty-five. It is important to find out how these workers feel about the work environment. Some environments are receptive to all workers while some are more favorable to the younger workers. Of course, a person cannot be discriminated against in the workplace because of age. According to Gibson et al., there are several types of age related discrimination that older workers may face. The first is personal ageism where negative attitudes and believes are held against the person; the second is institutional ageism where such things as mandatory retirement is forced on the older worker; the third is intentional ageism where older workers are deliberately singled out because of their age; and the fourth is unintentional ageism where the person discriminating is unaware of his actions (2010).

The research assumption so far shows that there are more negative connotations associated with hiring the older worker. However, this is an assumption and more research needs to be done to determine if the hypothesis is true or false. The way in which this will be done is discussed further in the paper.

II. SUBJECTS for STUDY

The sampling method used will be nonprobability sampling as opposed to random sampling. Nonprobability sampling means that the samples are not selected by probability or technique. Purposive or judgemental sampling is a type of nonprobability sampling and it means that the subjects are selected on the basis of the researcher's judgement about who will be most useful in taking the survey (Babbie, 2007). Since the research is based specifically on workers age fifty-five and older, purposive sampling is most appropriate.

There are so many different industries that samples can be taken from. To make everything consistent between the industries, the subjects will be chosen from public and private universities. All subjects will be at least fifty-five years of age or older. An equal mix of at least fifty percent male and fifty percent female will be sought to not only determine what issues there are amongst older workers, but if there are also differences in employment issues between the sexes. A thirty percent or more response rate is desired.

III. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

It is highly critical that no names or other easily identifiable information is used on the surveys that all subjects will participate in. To protect the identity of the workers and other subjects for study, no names will be needed or requested.

The best way to carry out this study would be through surveys. Forums are not practical because although the group members would be amongst their peers, there may be some hesitancy for some to speak up and talk about their true feelings. Another potential problem is that some group members may be influenced by others in the group and respond to questions in order to fit in. The best approach is the survey method. Below is a sample of some of the survey questions that may be used on the survey to gather information from the older workers as well as the measurement used to analyze the questions.

Since the research will be done using university employees, it must first go through and be approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB is an organization which protects the rights and welfare of human participants in research. The board protects participants from by making sure permission is given by the participants if required; by ensuring no physical harm comes to the participants; by ensuring that the researcher's own personal biases are not included in the surveys; and that the identity of all participants is kept anonymous. The organization partners with institutions to promote ethically sound research (www.irbservices.com).

IV. MEASUREMENTS

Sample Survey Questions

Introduction: This is a survey targeted towards workers age fifty-five (55) and older. We are seeking information on the issues that these workers face that may be age related. All participants and responses will be kept confidential and the survey will be used as an instrument for further studies on this topic.

1. What is your gender? (the variable here is 'Gender' and it is independent).

____Female

____Male

2. What age group are you in? (the variable here is 'Age' and it is independent).

a. ____ 55 to 60

b. ____ 61 to 65

c. ____ 66 to 70

d. ____ 70 or older

3. How long have you been employed at your current organization? Please select only one answer. (the variable here is 'length of employment' which is independent).

a. ____ 0 to 2 years

b. ____ 2 to 5 years

c. ____ 5 to 10 years

d. ____ 10 to 15 years

e. ____ 15 or more years

4. Choose only one from the list below to answer the following question regarding retirement. (the variable here is 'retirement' and it is independent).

a. ____ I am too young to retire.

b. ____ I cannot afford to retire

c. ____ I still enjoy working because it keeps me active.

d. ____ I still feel like I have a lot to contribute to my organization.

5. Do you feel that you have the same opportunities for advancement as your younger colleagues? (the variable here is 'opportunities' and it is independent).

____Yes

____No

Please explain your response:

6. Have you ever been asked by your employer to take an early retirement? If yes, how did this make you feel? (the variable here is 'early retirement' and it is independent).

____ Yes

____ No

If yes, please explain:

7. Have you ever had a work experience where you felt you were not valued because of your age? If yes, please explain. (the variable here is 'value' and it is dependent).

____ Yes

____ No

The survey questions above are just a sample of what might be included on the actual survey. The actual survey will consist of at least twenty questions that are formulated so that they are not perceived to be leading in any kind of way.

V. DATA COLLECTION METHODS

As mentioned before, the research will be in survey form. Survey Monkey will be used to construct and distribute the survey via e-mail. Most institutions of higher education now list employee names and e-mail addresses on their websites, so a database with these addresses can be built. Once the targeted amount of email addresses have been reached (at least one thousand), an e-mail blast will be sent to these individuals.

This method is appropriate for several reasons. The first reason deals with anonymity. When people fill out surveys via email they may be more likely to be truthful as opposed to a face-to-face interview. The goal is to get an accurate response on the questions asked on the survey and with an e-mail approach the participant can partake in the survey on his own time and in the privacy of his own home. Also, since the survey is given by an outside agency and not the organization that the individual works for there is no worry on the participants part that anyone in his organization will have access to his responses. This reduces the fear of any possible retaliation if some of the responses are not favorable for the respondent's organization

Another reason why this method is appropriate is the reduction in peer pressure as touched on in the Ethical Considerations section of this paper. Participating in a survey via an instrument such as Survey Monkey, the individual can be assured that the responses provided are anonymous. In a survey conducted in interview form, there is a chance that the participant may not feel comfortable being completely honest because there will always be a trust factor. They don't really know the person interviewing them and there may not be enough of a comfort level to be open and honest.

A forum might work if the topic were different. Because of the topic chosen there is likely to be discussions on age discrimination being the reason for no advancement opportunities and other issues. This is something that workers may not be willing to discuss in front of other coworkers, even though they may have the same issues in common. This is another instance where the trust factor comes into play.