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In the name of meritocracy: managers' perceptions of policies and practices for training older workers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2013

GREGORY MARTIN ,
DARRYL DYMOCK ,
STEPHEN BILLETT  and
GREER JOHNSON
GREGORY MARTIN*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia.
DARRYL DYMOCK
Affiliation:
School of Education and Professional Studies, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.
STEPHEN BILLETT
Affiliation:
School of Education and Professional Studies, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.
GREER JOHNSON
Affiliation:
Griffith Institute for Education Research, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
*
Address for correspondence: Gregory Martin, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney, City Campus, PO Box 123 Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia. E-mail: gregory.martin@uts.edu.au
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Abstract

Workplaces, managers and employers who are seeking to maintain the standing, capacities and productivity of their workplaces are now facing two crucial facts: (a) an ageing workforce and (b) all workers, regardless of age, need to adapt to the changing requirements for workplace performance. These facts mean that managers and supervisors need to confront issues found in the changing demographics of their own workforce. That is, as the portion of workforces aged over 45 years (i.e. older workers) increases, it is these workers who are available to be employed, and supported in sustaining their ongoing employability. To address these issues requires understanding of particular workers' capacities and aspirations and then acting to develop further their capacities based on new understanding, and rebutting social sentiments about these workers that are often value-laden, contradictory and biased. The case here is made through drawing on literature and analyses of interview data of Australian managers of older workers, that the current logic of management relies upon deeply held and widely shared beliefs of age-blind meritocracy and equal opportunity rather than informed views.

Keywords

managers' attitudes and practicesolder workerseducation and trainingemployabilityhuman resource policymeritocracy
Type
Articles
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 34 , Issue 6 , July 2014 , pp. 992 - 1018
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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