PURPOSE

1
Teaching Employers and Corporate Trainers How to
Retain Older Workers Adaptation to Individual
Differences
Diane Spokus, Ph.D., C.H.E.S.The Pennsylvania
State University, University Park, PA
Older Workers Quality of Life is Significantly
Related to Intent to Leave.
Table 4. Summary of hierarchical regression for
corporate fit regressed on job characteristics,
organizational characteristics and social support
indicators.
Table 2. Summary of hierarchical regression for
quality of work life regressed on job
characteristics, organizational characteristics
and social support indicators.
RESEARCH METHOD
INTRODUCTION

• Design, Measure Analysis
• Independent variables
• 1) Job characteristics
• 2) Social support
• 3) Organizational characteristics
• 4) Demographic characteristics
• Dependent variables
• 1) Quality of work life
• 2) Turnover Intention

• BACKGROUND
• Data suggests that the Baby Boom generation will
  have the option of remaining in the workforce
  long past the normative age of retirement (AARP,
  2002).
• Earlier research by Moody (1976)¹ suggests a
  four-stage developmental approach to educating
  and training adult and older adults.
• Results
• Stage 1 Rejection - reflection of negative
  attitudes about older adult learning.
• Stage 2 Social Services Model describes
  education for adults as a leisure activity.
• Stage 3 Participation - individuals encouraged
  to take responsibility for participating in
  self-directed learning.
• Stage 4 Self-Actualization - stresses
  importance of self-growth, similar to Maslows
  Hierarchy of Needs.
• ¹Moody,H. R. (1976). Philosophical
  presuppositions of education for old age.
  Educational Gerontology, 1, 1-16.

Table 1. Summary Descriptive Statistics for
Variables Used in the Regression Analysis for
Research Question One
Table 3. Summary of hierarchical regression for
job burnout regressed on job characteristics,
organizational characteristics and social
support indicators.
RESEARCH PURPOSE AND QUESTIONS
CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION
WHAT CAN EMPLOYERS DO?

• PURPOSE
• Examine job characteristics that influence an
  older workers intention to either retire or
  leave the job.
• RESEARCH QUESTIONS
• What are the relationships between job
  characteristics, social support and
  organizational characteristics on quality of work
  life?
• Collectively, what is the influence of job
  characteristics, social support, organizational
  characteristics, and quality of working life on
  turnover intention?

• CONCLUSION
• Burnout does not influence older workers to leave
  their jobs.
• Corporate Fit does not influence older workers to
  leave their jobs.
• Quality of Life was significantly related to
  intent to leave their jobs.
• IMPLICATION
• Retention recruitment strategies for older
  workers
• Succession planning
• Performance and evaluation
• Staff education, training professional
  development
• Management strategies

• Job redesign, sharing or transfer
• Provide Leadership Training for Supervisor
• Incorporate Work/Family Life Balance
• Phased retirement rather that Cliff retirement
• Workplace Healthy Lifestyle Programs
• Part-time/Bridge employment/retirement
• Flextime and flex locations
• Job Sharing to avoid Burnout/Exhaustion
• Offer Caregiving Programs
• Consulting partners
• Contracting for time-limited periods on assigned
  projects as ambassadors
• Peer and Intergenerational Mentors and coaches