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Employers can't afford to ax mature workers, say researchers:
In a new article in the Australian Journal of Management, researchers warn employers not to make hasty decisions in either dismissing or discounting the input of older workers.
"Employers are well known for targeting mature workers when downsizing their workforce—but this might be a costly mistake," says Dr. Valerie Caines.
She notes that governments can also overlook the value of older workers, as shown by the SA Government recently pulling its funding to DOME (the Don't Overlook Mature Experience training organization), which provided valuable support services to mature job seekers.
"A common mistake is to think of mature workers as all being the same," says Dr. Caines. "There is huge variation among mature workers' motivations, capabilities and needs. Their experience is especially valuable now, because mature workers can offer considerable value to an organization during a crisis and play an important role in helping a business progress to the 'next normal.'"
Dr. Caines says older workers may also hold the solution for filling employment gaps in organizations, due to diverse skill sets they have developed through their working life.
"Mature adults demonstrate considerable resilience," she says. "The aspect of role modeling resilience is an especially important influence on younger workers. It includes mature coping strategies, emotional intelligence and empathy—and these attributes have never been more important in the workforce."
Journal Reference:
Valerie Dawn Caines et al. Older workers: Past, present and future, Australian Journal of Management (2020). DOI: 10.1177/0312896220918912
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 30 2020, @07:42PM (2 children)
There used to be a time when people were evaluated yearly on their performance and discharged if they weren't growing. That has changed to teams only existing because of available budget, employee initiative is unrewarded, employee ineffectiveness is tolerated. As long as an individual doesn't mess up too badly, or middle management has to cut the budget, everyone is going to remain where they were year on year.
It's communism, just not done by the government. Why would anyone give their best if the company will only consider you a grunt?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 01 2020, @01:24AM (1 child)
Why would anyone give their best if the company will only consider you a grunt?
I left when the local management team was treated to Cancun for the 160% productivity of the grunts.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 01 2020, @03:48AM
I remember the crew I left a few months back. I'm not certain if they were gaslighting me or if it really is possible to be that goddamn dumb and sloppy. Wouldn't be surprised if I learned some day it was a money laundering organization.
The major lesson I learned from that place was that fast food is not the worst kind of job I've ever had.
I should have left that place so many years ago.