Age discrimination and working life: Perspectives and contestations – a review of the contemporary literature

Abstract

This review highlights some of the principal issues and debates surrounding age discrimination at the workplace. Essentially, the existing research in this area can be divided into three broad, although somewhat overlapping, categories. The first explores the underlying causes and consequences of age discrimination at the workplace from one or other theoretical tradition. The second broad body of literature encompasses empirical studies which document the nature and extent of age discrimination, based on the use of official statistics, and/or firm‐level survey evidence. The third explores the effects of various governmental initiatives to reduce the incidence of age discrimination and policy options in this area. Even though age discrimination is widely accepted to be prevalent, its causes are rather more contentious. Age discrimination has variously been ascribed to market imperfections, the product of rational choices and the effects of long‐term changes in the nature of the economy. Policy interventions may be prompted by economic pressure, demographic changes or cultural shifts, and have involved voluntary codes as well as legislation. Although voluntary codes have generally proved ineffective, the literature indicates that more formal regulations may still have only limited efficacy, underscoring the deeply rooted nature of age discrimination in society.

Managing employees beyond age 65: from the margins to the mainstream?

“…The proportion working at age It is important not to over-state the case: only a minority currently work beyond 65, and there remain important issues regarding employment practices to help retain workers below 65 or state pension age (Wood et al, 2008). There is also a need for public policies to help facilitate continued employment, including investments in life-long learning, a recognition of health limitations among many older people, and a tightening up of age discrimination legislation (see Lain, Forthcoming).…”

“…Work in the Netherlands (Bal et al, 2012), on the other hand, exploring the desire to work over statutory retirement age contained very few that were even older than 60. Concerns over age discrimination and the barriers posed to recruiting and retaining over-50s have dominated HR debates in the 1990s and early 2000s (for a review, see Wood et al, 2008), with relatively little attention being paid to proactively managing those remaining in employment beyond traditional age of retirement. As a result, the changes to the over-65s workforce outlined above are not yet adequately reflected in HR research and debates.…”

Trends and Determinants of Work-Retirement Transitions under Changing Institutional Conditions: Germany, England and Japan compared

“…This holds especially for whether retirement transitions are perceived as an individual choice or whether, for example, employer practices favouring younger workers force older workers into retirement (Wood et al, 2008). This paper has two aims.…”

Editorial: The Future of Writing and Reviewing for IJMR

“…For example, Wood et al . () draw on sociological perspectives to develop a policy‐relevant paper on ageing and working lives; Breslin () integrates Darwin's ideas on evolutionary change into the study of entrepreneurship; Kelloway and Barling () examine the implications of children's work for organizations and society. As Wood et al .…”