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Increasing the value of age: guidance in employers’ age management strategies
Figure 9. Total overview of the effects
Individual level Organisation level National level
increasing job satisfaction attractive employer stronger economy
staying longer in skilled and productive strengthening the pension
employment workforce system
increasing skills and costs reduction/prevention, improving quality of life
competences by: reducing social security
increasing health - preventing severance costs
(mental/physical) pay better match between
increasing career - less hiring temporary education and labour
perspective external workers market
productive workforce good examples and results
increasing innovation inspire
better work culture other organisations and
stronger social capital countries
improving human resource
policy
Source: Authors.
7.2.1.1. Individual level
The effects of guidance activities at individual level are the most direct, as seen in
the case studies. The job satisfaction of the employees rises because of the age
management strategy. They are more motivated than before, and more
employees choose to stay in their jobs longer after the introduction of an age
management approach.
Using guidance helps create a better environment where older employees
are stimulated to use (and keep using) their unique skill set and to continue
working as productively as possible before retirement (and in some cases after
retirement). Career guidance stimulates older employees to work on their own
employability, learning new skills and transferring expertise.
Another situation reported in some cases is the positive effect of guidance
activities in reducing negative stereotypes of older employees. Paying specific
attention to the importance of older employees in the workplace has a reported
positive effect on the job satisfaction of those employees.
This effect of increasing job satisfaction is reportedly also reflected in hiring,
with all employees treated equally, as seen in the statement from an employee in
the Czech Society for Quality: ‘I had lost my previous job and I was already over
50. Then I applied for job to CSQ and I participated in an open competition with
another eight candidates who were mostly younger than me. And I was really
amazed by the fair attitude where age played absolutely no role’.
This also means that working lives are being successfully lengthened, in a
way that is mutually satisfactory for the firm and for workers. At Enemærke og
Petersen (Denmark), the guidance and flexibility offered to the employees has
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