An Attitude towards Age Stereotypes among Older Workers - a Case Study

JANOŠOVÁ, Lenka and Vlastimil REICHEL. An Attitude towards Age Stereotypes among Older Workers - a Case Study. In 3nd International Multidisciplinary Scientific Conference on Social Sciences & Arts SGEM 2016. Sofia, Bulgaria: SGEM International multidisciplinary scientific conference on social sciences and arts, 2016, p. 11-18, 1240 pp. ISBN 978-619-7105-70-4.

Basic information

• Original name: An Attitude towards Age Stereotypes among Older Workers - a Case Study
• Authors: JANOŠOVÁ, Lenka (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution) and Vlastimil REICHEL (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution).
• Edition: Sofia, Bulgaria, 3nd International Multidisciplinary Scientific Conference on Social Sciences & Arts SGEM 2016, p. 11-18, 1240 pp. 2016.
• Publisher: SGEM International multidisciplinary scientific conference on social sciences and arts

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Proceedings paper
• Field of Study: 50600 5.6 Political science
• Country of publisher: Bulgaria
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• Publication form: printed version "print"
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14560/16:00090701
• Organization unit: Faculty of Economics and Administration
• ISBN: 978-619-7105-70-4
• ISSN: 2367-5659
• UT WoS: 000395620400002
• Keywords in English: age stereotypes; older workers; employment; wages; productivity
• Tags: Reviewed

Abstract

This article introduces age related stereotypes about older workers which occur among managers in companies during managing a specific group of employees over 50 years old. As a result of ageing population, state institutions as well as private companies try to extend working age, which means to convince people to work longer. This brings new problems to the area of human resource management, since an approach to building working teams changes dramatically. Current trends encourage leaders to support team diversity in age, gender or nationality. This perspective can bring advantages, such as sharing experience or various ways of problem solving, but also disadvantages, for example deteriorated communication inside teams. This is a case of age related stereotypes, which can be described as preconceived ideas about the characteristics of a certain age group. Age related stereotypes at the workplace have become a reason for tension, which causes breakdown of good relationships and troubles in cooperation. Many prejudices are attributed to the workers 50+ like lower performance and other limitations associated with aging, such as low flexibility, slowness in learning or obsolescence. The best defence against prejudice is to take each person as an individual, trying to identify its strengths, regardless of age. Team members can learn from each other when solving common business tasks, find common ground, and suppress the importance of age differences. A fellow feeling to the team strengthens the building of social identity. We examined on the IT company, how all employees agree with selected stereotypes about age group 50+ and how the company approaches these stereotypes according to employees. We compiled a questionnaire from the most often age stereotypes and ask employees, how much they agree with presented statements. Gained results were evaluated by fundamental mathematical and statistical methods.