Facing the challenge of human resource management of older workers: an integrated evidence-based model

Abstract

The progressive population aging has as consequence the need to maintain older workers in the labor market and prolong their professional life. Human resources managers face the challenge of managing age, both in the retention and development of older employees and in managing intergenerational relationships. Universalistic practices of HRM may be inadequate to face the growing age diversity, because not considering the differences in states, needs, motivation and professional goals of employees. In addition, the use of chronological age as the sole criterion for decision making about older employees has proved insufficient, since subjective age and work ability perceptions are more reliable predictors of actual and future work activity. In order to respond to the challenge of age management in organizations, the primary goals of this piece of work are threefold: a) to present an integrated evidence-based model of HRM for older workers; b) to offer a prospective on the temporal evolution and trajectories of mid and late career; and c) to propose contingent HRM practices that would be more pertinent for older workers in the short, medium and long term.