Page 114 - increasing-the-value-of-age-guidance-in-employers-age-management-strategies

Increasing the value of age: guidance in employers’ age management strategies

relation between employees, and the (social) relation between employees and
the organisation. The strategies confront older employees with a new attitude and
policy which encourages them to work longer. The approach has a positive effect
on the ability of the company to retain its present employees and also shows the
relevance of a life-cycle/span perspective. By not focusing just on older
employees but on linking generations, the social capital of the organisation is
strengthened.
An age management strategy can have a long-term effect and impact in the
organisation, as seen in the mentor programme at Frosta Sparbank. A follow-up
study of the mentorship programme shows that several of the participant trainees
in the mentor programme are currently in management positions within the bank
and that the mentorship programme has improved their leadership qualities.
Guidance, and specifically the mentoring programmes, has an effect (both
short-term and long-term) on the company as they keep the right competence
and knowledge within the organisation. Mentoring programmes can also
(potentially) transmit culture, stories and networks in the organisations, so
increasing the social capital. By preventing the situation where older employees
have retired, and there are not enough younger workers with necessary
knowledge and experience to fill older workers’ shoes, a positive effect is created
for the organisation.
An increase in the involvement of older employees within the organisation
also has a positive effect on its innovative capability, as seen in Schumann
Haustechnik. The age management strategy has increased their range of
products in terms of installations accessible to seniors and the disabled. Now,
they are also selling sanitary solutions that better meet older clients’ needs. This
is an unexpected side effect of the creation of mixed-age teams and the
mentorship programme.
Innovative processes also benefit from older workers’ increased contribution
when they regulate the admission of new processes, techniques and forms of
organisation. By having a deeper, experiential understanding of organisations
and activities, older workers can have the critical perspective needed for firms to
adapt innovations just enough to fit their needs. Frequently, all that is needed to
achieve such positive results is to assess the skills needs of older workers (to
target technological skills) and seek formulas for their engagement in
management decisions.

7.2.1.3. National level
Effects at individual and organisation level have an impact at national level.
However, most companies give more priority to organisation goals than to

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