Hiring Older Workers: Benefits, Bias, and Research Design

Introduction: The Older Worker in Today's Workforce

When we consider the older worker — those employees aged fifty-five and older — the first thought that comes to many minds involves the negative connotations associated with hiring them. As the workforce constantly progresses and changes, there are differing views on the value of retaining older employees. 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 increased by twenty-two percent (O'Reilly, 2006). Older workers are not going anywhere. People are delaying retirement until their late sixties and even early seventies, and they are living longer and are in much better overall health than in years past. As a result, the issue of hiring — or not hiring — older workers must be addressed.

Some organizations prefer not to hire older workers, while others have no issue with it. This paper explores how older workers feel about job prospects and their experiences in the workplace. It also examines whether older workers are being considered for employment at the same rate as younger workers. As noted above, people are working longer and retiring later, which means that the workplace already has a fair share of employees over the age of fifty-five. It is important to understand how these workers perceive their work environment, as some environments are receptive to all workers while others are more favorable to younger employees.

A person cannot legally be discriminated against in the workplace because of age. According to ageism research by 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 beliefs are held against the individual. The second is institutional ageism, where policies such as mandatory retirement are imposed on the older worker. The third is intentional ageism, where older workers are deliberately singled out because of their age. The fourth is unintentional ageism, where the person discriminating is unaware of their own actions (Whitney-Gibson et al., 2010).

The working assumption at the outset of this research is that more negative connotations are associated with hiring older workers. However, this is an assumption, and further research is needed to determine whether the hypothesis is supported or refuted. The methodology for doing so is discussed throughout the remainder of this paper.

Benefits and Challenges of Hiring Older Workers

There are several notable benefits to hiring older workers. They are more likely to remain with an organization for the long term — in other words, they are not seeking to gain experience only to move on to the next position. On average, they are more punctual than their younger counterparts. Many older workers have already cultivated strong customer service skills and know how to manage interactions with a wide range of customers. The older worker can also serve as a valuable role model and mentor for younger colleagues.

However, along with these benefits come challenges. Some older workers may not be as technologically proficient as younger employees, and training them on new technologies can pose difficulties. Although people are generally living longer and are healthier than previous generations, older workers may still present health concerns that affect their performance. Additionally, some older workers may command higher salaries commensurate with their extensive experience — compensation that some employers may be unwilling or unable to offer (Webb, 2009).

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has documented a steady increase in labor force participation among workers aged 55 and older, reinforcing the need for employers to thoughtfully consider how to integrate and support this growing segment of the workforce.

Research Design and Subjects for Study

The sampling method used in this study will be nonprobability sampling, as opposed to random sampling. Nonprobability sampling means that subjects are not selected through a probability-based technique. Purposive, or judgmental, sampling is a type of nonprobability sampling in which subjects are selected based on the researcher's judgment about who will be most useful to the study (Babbie, 2007). Since the research focuses specifically on workers aged fifty-five and older, purposive sampling is the most appropriate approach.

Although samples could be drawn from many different industries, the subjects for this study will be selected from employees at public and private universities in order to maintain consistency across the sample. All subjects will be at least fifty-five years of age. An equal mix of at least fifty percent male and fifty percent female participants will be sought — not only to identify issues facing older workers broadly, but also to examine whether there are differences in employment challenges between the sexes. A response rate of thirty percent or higher is desired.