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Keeping Up! Older Workers’ Adaptation in the Workplace after Age 55*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 December 2013

Eddy S. W. Ng  and
Alan Law
Eddy S. W. Ng*
Affiliation:
Rowe School of Business, Dalhousie University
Alan Law
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, Trent University
*
†Correspondence and requests for reprints should be sent to / La correspondance et les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être adressées à: Eddy S. W. Ng, Ph.D. Dalhousie University Rowe School of Business 6100 University Ave. Halifax (NS) B3K 4R2 (edng@dal.ca)
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Abstract

How do older workers keep up and adapt to a changing workplace after age 55? In exploring that question, this study specifically examined how age-related changes affect workers, how older workers deal with a loss of resources, how they engage in life management, and why some are more successful than others. An in-depth analysis was undertaken using 32 semi-structured interviews conducted with workers aged 55 to 64. Findings revealed that older workers use various strategies to adapt to a change in resources, and that these strategies help them cope and maintain their functioning in the workplace. Because older workers require different types of employer support, this study offers an understanding of how employers can provide that support to encourage older workers to remain in the workforce longer. Several avenues for future research are suggested, including an exploration of the role played by internal sources of support.

Résumé

Comment les travailleurs âgés, après l’âge de 55 ans, peuvent-ils se maintenir et s’adapter à un milieu de travail en évolution? En explorant cette question, cette étude a examiné précisément comment les changements liés à l’âge touchent aux travailleurs, comment les travailleurs âgés font face à une perte de ressources, comment ils s’engagent dans la gestion de leur vie, et pourquoi certains parmi eux réussissent plus que d’autres. Une analyse profondie a été réalisée en utilisant 32 entretiens semi-directifs menés avec les travailleurs âgés de 55 a 64 ans. Une analyse profondie a été réalisée en utilisant 32 entretiens semi-directifs menés avec les travailleurs âgés de 55 a 64 ans. Nos conclusions suggèrent que les travailleurs les plus vieux utilisent diverses stratégies pour s’adapter à un changement de ressources, et que ces stratégies les aident à se débrouiller et maintenir leur fonctionnement dans leur milieu de travail. Comme les plus vieux travailleurs exigent des types différents de soutien d’employeur, notre étude fournit une compréhension de comment les employeurs peuvent fournir ce soutien pour encourager de plus vieux travailleurs pour rester dans la main-d’oeuvre plus longue. Nous suggérons aussi plusieurs avenues pour la recherche future, y compris explorer le rôle de sources internes de soutien.

Keywords

aging workersqualitative researchselectionoptimizationand compensation strategyles travailleurs vieillissantsla sélectionl’optimisationet la stratégie de compensationla recherche qualitative
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 33 , Issue 1 , March 2014 , pp. 1 - 14
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2013 

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Footnotes

*

We thank the following for their support and funding of the project: Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, New Horizons for seniors program, Peterborough’s Workforce Development Board, The Trent Centre for Community Based Education and the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Acknowledgement is also extended to James Struthers, Suzanne Bailey, Gary Reker, and Rory Coughlan for their work in interview question design, interviewing, and preliminary analytical comments.

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