OLDER WORKERS' ADAPTATION TO A CHANGING WORKPLACE: EMPLOYMENT ISSUES FOR THE 21st CENTURY

Abstract

The extent to which older workers leave their jobs rather than adapt to workplace changes has a significant effect on the organizations they work for, on government programs, especially Social Security, and on the workers themselves. Conceptualizing the work adaptation process begins by recognizing that older employees have needs, values, and interests that must be met by their jobs for them to choose to remain employed and adapt to workplace changes. Simultaneously, a job has knowledge, skill, and ability requirements that must be met by an older employee for the employer to choose to retain him or her. As a job changes, the individual job fit is also likely to change, often with the result that the employee is required to adapt. A review of the literature shows that there are a variety of factors at the individual, organizational, and environmental levels that affect an older worker's ability and choice to adjust to workplace changes. These factors include, for example, training throughout an individual's career, personnel policies affecting older workers, and age discrimination. This article reviews the literature describing the conceptual framework and major individual and organizational factors found to affect an older worker's ability and choice to adapt to workplace changes.