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Age Bias In The Workplace

Decent Essays

The review of literature explores the phenomenon of the aging workforce, the impact of the age-bias in the workplace for technology training, and how companies are realigning training to address a multigenerational workforce. The first perspective will discuss the upwards trend of the workforce age and the reasons attributing to the phenomenon. The second perspective discusses the age-bias associated with older workers relative to technology training. The third perspective focuses on how organizations are adapting to the change and realigning training needs.
The Aging Workforce
According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (2013) the 45-54 and 55+ workforce has been increasing since 1996, and is expected to continue increasing based …show more content…

Other factors influencing the number of older workers remaining in the workforce are the need for health benefits, extra income, corporate financial incentives, and just the need to be around others as a social mechanism. The aging workforce phenomenon is creating a shift in the dynamics of age distribution in many organizations, as workers are remaining in the workforce in some capacity, even after retirement.
Technology Training Age-Bias in the Workplace According to Cekada (2012), today’s workforce consists of four distinct generations described as, The Silent Generation (1933-1945), Baby Boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980), and the Generation Y/Millennials (1981-2000). Members of the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers represent the group of the growing older worker trend in the workforce and according to Leppel (2012), there is a need for more effective and focused training to accommodate this population, as well as retain …show more content…

According to Cekada (2012), organizations who can address these challenges head on can become stronger and more cohesive. According to Waxman, et al (2015), when the Baby Boomer group eventually permanently retires, it will be a huge drain and loss to corporate America. This group represents the majority of professional experience and corporate leadership skills, therefore it is to the company’s advantage to foster team building and gain an understanding of each group’s preconceived notions about each other. Waxman, et al (2015) also states that transferring knowledge from the older worker to the new less experienced workers is important for continuity. The organization is tasked with technology training for the older worker while they are still professionally active, but they must also look ahead to the future and how to fill the gap then this group is retired. According to Merrill (2016), Baby Boomers are invaluable resources to an organization for coaching and mentoring. Organizations are developing more programs geared towards mentoring to help bring along new younger workers and facilitate knowledge transfer between the generations. The older worker can feel valued and productive, and

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