Which older workers participate in which personnel policies?

Abstract

In response to the aging of the European labor market population, organizations have implemented various personnel policies that potentially contribute to older workers’ prolonged and productive working lives. Little is known, however, about who uses which of these policies. This chapter studies which older workers (within organizations offering them) are most likely to participate in two of the most frequently implemented policies: flexibility and phasing-out policies. It relies on both the employee’s and the employer’s perspective to investigate two cost–benefit related arguments: older workers’ age and their job compatibility with certain personnel policies. The study also tests the importance of two attitudinal considerations: gender roles and managerial agism. The results indicate that cost–benefit considerations are important drivers of policy uptake among older workers. Among workers aged 50+, older age still increases the likelihood of participating in phasing-out policies. High status workers’ jobs are more compatible with flexibility policies, and workers in physical jobs are more likely to use phasing-out policies. The expectations for attitudinal considerations were not confirmed. Managerial agism does not influence participation in either measure and, surprisingly, older women show lower use of flexibility policies than older men, which may point to a selection effect.