Skip to main content
Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185.67.1.61

This study investigated attitudes towards older employees, perceived age discrimination, and HR practices (personnel development and reward) in 240 employees. Attitudes toward older employees were largely positive, thus supporting the notion that attitudes toward older employees are becoming increasingly positive. Older employees’ attitudes towards older employees were more positive, but younger employees’ attitudes were still favorable. Moreover, older and younger employees reported benefiting from HR measures, such as training, to a similar extent. Also, older employees did not feel more discriminated against than younger employees did, indicating that employees’ attitudes were in line with HR practices. Nevertheless, some results suggested that HR practices preferred younger to older employees, indicating that in some domains of personnel development and reward, positive attitudes toward older employees do not necessarily parallel organizational practices.

References

  • Bird, C. P. , Fisher, T. D. (1986). Journal of Applied Psychology, 71, 515– 517 First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Chiu, W. C. K. , Chan, A. W. , Snape, E. , Redman, T. (2001). Age stereotypes and discriminatory attitudes towards older workers: An East-West comparison. Human Relations, 54, 629– 661 First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Dovidio, J. F. , Brigham, J. C. , Johnson, B. T. , Gaertner, S. L. (1996). Stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination: Another look. In C. N. Macrae, C. Stangor, & M. Hewstone (Eds.), Stereotypes and stereotyping (pp. 276-319). New York: Guilford First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Finkelstein, L. , Burke, M. J. , Raju, N. (1995). Age discrimination in simulated employment contexts: An integrative analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 80, 652– 663 First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Hassell, B. L. , Perrewe, P. L. (1995). An examination of beliefs about older workers: Do stereotypes still exist?. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 16, 457– 468 First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Kluge, A. (2006). Die Einstellungen zur Leistungs-, Lern- und Anpassungsfähigkeit älterer Arbeitnehmer/innen und die subjektiv erlebte Diskriminierung: Eine Untersuchung in Schweizer Unternehmen. [Older employees’ attitude towards their efficiency, their capacity to learn and their adaptability and self-experienced discrimination: A study in Swiss corporations.]. Arbeit, 15, 3– 17 First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Kluge, A. , Krings, F. (2007). Altersdiskriminierung: (K)ein Thema in der deutschsprachigen Arbeits- und Organisations-psychologie? [Age discrimination: (Not) an issue in German-speaking work and organizational psychology?. Zeitschrift für Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie, 51, 186– 189 First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Lyon, P. , Pollard, D. (1997). Perceptions of the older employee: Is anything really changing?. Personnel Review, 26, 245– 257 First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • OECD (2003). Ageing and Employment Policies - Switzerland. Paris: OECD First citation in articleGoogle Scholar

  • Perry, E. L. , Kulik, C. T. , Bourhis, A. C. (1996). Moderating effects of personal and contextual factors in age discrimination. Journal of Applied Psychology, 81, 628– 647 First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar

  • Rosen, B. , Jerdee, T. H. (1976). The nature of job-related age stereotypes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 61, 180– 183 First citation in articleCrossrefGoogle Scholar