Leveraging age diversity for organizational performance: An intellectual capital perspective.

Abstract

The global trend of increasing workplace age diversity has led to growing research attention to the organizational consequences of age-diverse workforces. Prior research has primarily focused on the statistical relationship between age diversity and organizational performance without empirically probing potential mechanisms underlying this relationship. Adopting an intellectual capital perspective, we posit that age diversity affects organizational performance via human and social capital. Furthermore, we examine workplace functional diversity and age-inclusive management as two contingent factors shaping the effects of age diversity on human and social capital. Our hypotheses were tested with a large manager-report workplace survey data from the Society for Human Resource Management (N = 3,888). Results indicate that age diversity was positively associated with organizational performance through the mediation of increased human and social capital. In addition, functional diversity and age-inclusive management amplified the positive effects of age diversity on human and social capital. Our research sheds light on how age-diverse workforces may create value through cultivating knowledge-based organizational resources (i.e., human and social capital).

The Importance of Intra-Organizational Networking for Younger Versus Older Workers: Examining a Multi-Group Mediation Model of Individual Task Performance Enhancement

“…Obviously, a sound knowledge base that is kept up to date is highly necessary to protect one's employability across the lifespan (Quendler and Lamb, 2016). In line with Li et al (2020), who adopted an intellectual capital perspective, we argue that age-diverse workforces might be of high value for nowadays' working organizations, in case both workers and their employers protect and foster the continuous development of occupational competencies throughout their working life.…”

Age diversity in teams: Examining the impact of the least agreeable member

“…Such increased age diversity is often celebrated because it is believed to bring about diverse perspectives, ideas, and problem solutions that are critical for organization and team performance. Yet, research has not found a consistent relationship between team age diversity and performance, with different studies finding either positive (De Meulenaere et al, 2016; De Meulenaere & Kunze, 2020; Li et al, 2021), negative (Joshi & Roh, 2009; Jukka, 2021; van Dijk et al, 2012), or nonsignificant relationships (Ali et al, 2014; Bell et al, 2011; Boehm et al, 2014; Schneid et al, 2016).…”

“…These inconclusive findings may be better understood from a social categorization perspective (Reicher et al, 2010; Turner et al, 1987), which suggests that diversity on surface‐level or readily detectable, salient social attributes such as age can lead to intergroup biases and negative intergroup relations if and when these differences become salient (van Knippenberg et al, 2004; van Knippenberg & Mell, 2016; van Knippenberg & Schippers, 2007). Supporting this tenet, research has shown that organizational factors such as leadership, diversity climate, and age‐inclusive management weaken the salience of age differences, thereby improving team functioning (Boehm et al, 2014; Li et al, 2021; Scheuer & Loughlin, in press). Despite the informative nature of these studies, they have overlooked the role of team personality in potentially activating or assuaging the salience of age diversity (Guillaume et al, 2017).…”

Age-Differentiated Leadership and Healthy Aging at Work: Evidence from the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The implications of the aging of the global workforce are well-documented [ 1 ]. Along with an on-average older workforce, organizations are experiencing an increase in the age diversity of their workers [ 2 ]. This increased age diversity comes with both opportunities (e.g., encouraging the potential for knowledge sharing at work [ 3 ]) and challenges (e.g., managing employee health to ensure long term employability [ 4 ]).…”