Age diversity management : conceptual and application approach

Abstract

PURPOSE: The main aim of the article is to present the concept of diversity management due to age and selected results of own research on this idea. The choice of the area of interest results from the fact that over the last several decades, both the population and the labor force are aging. Such a situation may lead to a reduction in the total number of people employed, investments through a decrease in savings, and an increase in pressure on the pension system and the state budget.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: 63 SMEs from the Poznań poviat of the Wielkopolska voivodship, operating in a strictly defined industry, participated in the study. In addition, enterprises should employ a minimum of 5 people up to 50 and a minimum of 5 over 50 years of age. The survey was carried out using the CATI and PAPI methods.

FINDINGS: Based on the survey, it can be indicated that most SMEs in the analyzed area do not have an age management system in place, but their operation takes into account the needs of older people.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: It is extremely important to encourage enterprises through training and funding to implement an age management system, especially when a selected group of respondents (people 50+) indicate numerous practical benefits for the employee, company, economy, and society.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The originality of the work is to check to what extent the surveyed SMEs, although informally (in the form of procedures), consider the needs of older people in the basic areas of the concept of age management. The article also indicates how actions can be improved on those issues where respondents considered the efforts of business owners to be insufficient.