Generational Differences in Perceptions of Older Workers’ Capabilities
The relative lack of older workers in the recent past meant that there were few reasons for conducting cross-generational research, but today it is common to find members of four generations (Generation Y, Generation X, Baby Boomers, and the Traditionalist Generation) working side by side. The purpose of this brief is to examine the extent to which negative perceptions of older workers persist among intergenerational workers in a contemporary employment setting and to identify how these perceptions affect workers from older generations. Specifically we focus on two research questions:
- How do Traditionalist Generation workers rate themselves in comparison to how Baby Boom workers, and Generation X and Y workers rate them on 11 characteristics deemed to be important qualifications for continued work in later life?
- If employees perceive their workplace environment to be less likely to offer opportunities for training and promotion for older workers, what effect does this have on their own well-being, and on their commitment to the organization?