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CHAPTER 2
Do European employers support longer working lives? 29

workers (Bohlinger and van Loo, 2010). Stereotypes of older workers have a
negative connotation. They may lead to social exclusion of older workers, not
only because one may judge employees on the basis of average and
inaccurate representations of the category, but also because stereotypes may
lead to self-fulfilling prophecies, when those who are subject to negative
stereotypes behave accordingly (Hilton and Von Hippel, 1996).
Stereotypes do not only relate to older workersʼ productivity, adaptability
and loyalty, but also to their retirement (Henkens, 2005). Although new ways
of thinking are emerging, in many of todayʼs workplaces, the belief that older
workers should retire somewhere in their mid-50s or early 60s still dominates
(Joulain and Mullet, 2001; McCann and Giles, 2003; Van Dalen and Henkens,
2005; Thijssen and Rocco, 2010). Several simultaneously occurring
considerations may explain this. Promoting early retirement may reflect
positive attitudes toward older workers in the sense that it is seen as well
earned at the end of a long career of hard work. But it may also reflect more
fundamental attitudes and beliefs that younger workers have more to offer to
an organisation than older workers (McCann and Giles, 2003).
A belief among employers that older workers want to retire as soon as
possible will hamper efforts to extend working life. At the same time, the
necessity to call upon the labour force potential of older workers may increase
substantially due to increasing skills shortages. Thijssen and Rocco (2010)
report that, as a result, stereotypes and corporate policies are changing, but
their analysis also reveals that the belief that ageing workers are an asset to
organisations is far from universal yet.

2.3. Methodology

Our analysis is based on research carried out as part of the EU project ʻ Fair
play for older workersʼ. This project aimed to improve the position of older
workers in European labour markets ( ). Partly by analysing the causes for
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their disadvantaged position, but also by developing programmes stimulating
employers to recognise the challenge of an ageing workforce and to take
initiatives to support older workers and delay retirement.
The fair play research project was set up to address employersʼ behaviour
and attitudes regarding the ageing population and its main consequences for

( ) This challenge was defined as ensuring a higher share of those currently aged 55 to 64 stay in work
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and improving employability of those currently aged in their 40s and 50s.