Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work / Alisa M. Garni / In the 21st century, millions of older adults in the United States are coming out of retirement to work. In some cases, inadequate benefits and savings force them out of retirement, especially when they or their spouses experience costly health problems. In other cases, older workers “unretire” after losing loved ones, or as they experience social loss and disengagement. These older workers seek companionship through work. Although many older workers enjoy aspects of the jobs they attain in unretirement, their compensation is often insufficient, forcing some of them to perpetually delay re-retiring. Such unretirement reverses decades of movement toward greater and earlier retirement for older adults and significantly affects cultural meanings of old age. Focusing on six different worksites in Kansas, I examine how older workers and employers socially and culturally re-construct age. Evidence from ethnographic observation and thirty-three in-depth interviews with older workers and their employers suggest that employers view older workers’ agedness as an asset they can exploit to cut costs and boost profits. In sharp contrast, many older employees’ younger co-workers and clients treat them as if agedness diminishes their competence and relevance in the workplace. This is particularly true for women, who struggle more than their male colleagues to fend off the negative labels some younger co-workers and clients attempt to apply to them. Ultimately, I find that old age is a valued human resource for employers, making older employees “ideal workers,” but the cumulative effects of older workers’ interactions in the workplaces tend, on balance, to devalue older age. Notably, the forces that promoted positive constructions of older age tend to be rooted in exploitation. Employers who idealize older workers do so to squeeze as much unpaid labor power out of them as possible. When older workers resist exploitative work assignments, they often become subject to negative labeling, as opposed to other kinds of “problem worker” labeling that younger workers might face. By specifying the mechanisms that produce harmful versus helpful constructions of age at work in traditional retirement years, my study contributes to the growing body of research on the relatively new phenomenon of unretirement in the United States.

With the ageing population in Sweden and the need for more working hours among older workers as background, this essay analyses labour demand for older workers. More precisely it tries to find a connection in employer perceptions of certain character traits for older contra younger workers and the propensity to hire older workers. Using a newly conducted survey sent out to Swedish establishments, this study finds two character traits where negative perceptions have an extra negative effect on hiring: creativity and endurance. Unfortunately, there is a presence of low t-statistics throughout the results which calls for further research on the subject. As a secondary objective, this study also briefly looks at the previously unexplored subject of how the age of an establishment affects labour demand. Results for this points to a small effect but in these results, there are also cases of low statistical significance.

A gap exists in the literature on the actual experiences of older workers with information and communication technology adoption in technology-infused workplaces. To inform organizations on how to more effectively support this employee group's adoption of technology, the purpose of this qualitative exploratory multiple case study was designed to gain a deeper understanding of the daily experiences of older workers when adopting and adapting to information and communication technologies in a technology-infused workplace. This study is framed by, first, the selection-optimization-compensation framework for successful aging and, second, the age-inclusive training design framework. Semistructured interviews with 8 participants, observational field notes, and archival data provided data regarding specific technology experiences among older workers in the workplace. Identifiable themes emerged through thematic analysis of the textual data and cross-case synthesis analysis. A total of 8 categories that enclose a total of 18 themes were identified. The categories are (a) selection of resources, (b) optimization of resources, (c) compensation of resources, (d) performance limitations, (e) assessing training needs, (f) establishing/ sustaining performance, (g) age-inclusive training needs, and (h) older workers as organizational assets. Findings enhanced social change efforts by providing insight on the daily experiences that the older worker faced which may contribute to limited productivity in the workplace. Organizational leaders and human resource managers may use results of this study to implement provisions that improve help organizational profitability, team cohesiveness, and workplace satisfaction.

Using grounded theory methodology, the purpose of the study was to examine the transition experiences of older workers who retired from their long-term careers and who were working in bridge jobs. After interviewing 24 participants, a theory emerged that describes the decision to seek a bridge job, the strategies used, the problems faced, and the benefits received. The decision to retire is connected with the decision to seek a bridge job. Participants planned but mainly focused on their finances; no participant sought help from a career counseling professional. They faced challenges such as age discrimination and problems switching to a new position. Participants reported that they live a more balanced life and enjoy their bridge job. The core theme from the study is bridge employment redefines retirement. / Ph. D.

This study explores what UK managers aged 50 and over perceive as career progression at a time in life when opportunities for further promotion may have ceased. It examines motivational drivers and subjectively significant personal and organizational influences on career progression. It also investigates whether motivation for career progression is perceived to have changed over the career and the extent to which it may differ between male and female older managers. The research adopted a qualitative, inductive approach using a phenomenological methodology. Fieldwork comprised semi-structured interviews with 27 male and 13 female managers aged 50 and over from two large, UK financial services organizations. The findings show how motivation for career progression in managers aged over 50 is driven by individually diverse patterns of career drivers, personal and work-related influences, and attitudes towards career opportunities. These can be classified into a number of career progression orientations. The study contributes to knowledge in the area of subjective psychological career mobility in late career and the balance which individuals maintain between the organizational and personal aspects of their career. It demonstrates that motivational drivers of career progression are perceived to change over the career and that career progression is linked, on an individual basis, to past, current and future career mobility which may extend past the traditional retirement transition. It also reveals that, in general, older female managers may exhibit a greater drive for self-realisation through later life career renewal than their male counterparts.

Thesis advisor: Alicia H. Munnell / This thesis focuses on the employment of older workers and addresses the following questions: how people make their retirement decision, how changes in the Social Security benefit rules can encourage older workers to stay in the labor force longer, and what impediments older workers face on the labor market that can prevent them from working longer and interrupt their retirement plans. As the U.S. population ages, retirement and Social Security claiming decisions of older workers will have a significant impact on the U.S. economy. By the year of 2030 about 20 percent of the population will be 65 years old or older. The national retirement system generates less income in retirement than it did in the past. Rising Full Retirement Age, the shift of the private pension system from predominantly defined benefit to predominantly defined contribution pension plans, and increasing longevity will have to force older workers to stay in the labor force in the future to provide adequate income in retirement. Chapter one presents a dynamic stochastic retirement model that incorporates observed heterogeneity in educational attainment level. The assumption is that educational attainment level is highly correlated with the characteristics, such as preferences for work, types of jobs, and financial planning horizon that determine timing of retirement. A parsimonious model that incorporates heterogeneity in educational attainment level and stochastic earnings and health predicts the labor force participation rates and Social Security rates by age accurately. This model provides intuition for why college graduates tend to claim Social Security benefits and exit labor force later in life - longer life expectancy, non-physically demanding jobs, longer financial planning horizon, and deriving positive utility from work encourage college graduates to retire later. Chapter two develops and tests a policy rule regarding the availability of reduced early Social Security retirement benefits that would encourage older workers to stay in the labor force longer without amplifying the hardship on the more vulnerable population. The availability of Social Security retirement benefits at the current Earliest Eligibility Age (EEA) is considered the main impediment to longer working lives. Raising the EEA is thus considered the most powerful channel to raise the labor force participation rate. But raising the EEA would create hardship among workers with low private savings who are unable to work or find employment until the higher eligibility age. This study proposes and analyzes a new approach to setting each worker's EEA based on an individual's average lifetime earnings--an Elastic EEA. Low average lifetime earnings will likely reflect either poor health or spotty work histories, both of which are associated with weak employment prospects and limited financial resources at age 62. Tying the EEA to the average lifetime earnings could thus protect many of these vulnerable workers while encouraging longer working lives and increasing Social Security monthly benefits for workers more capable of remaining in the labor force. Simulations suggest that an Elastic EEA would achieve its goal in providing higher employment rates and levels of consumption in retirement compared to the status quo. These simulations also demonstrate the limitations of structural retirement models used to estimate the effect of raising the EEA. By assuming the same probabilities of losing and finding a job for all individuals, these models underestimate the adverse effect of raising the EEA on the more vulnerable population. Although some older workers may like to stay longer in the labor force, they may have hard time holding on to their jobs due to displacement. Chapter three is devoted to the trends in displacement of older workers. Conventional wisdom says older workers are less likely to be displaced. However, the difference in displacement rates between younger and older workers disappeared in the 2006 Displaced Worker Survey (DWS). The increased vulnerability of older workers appears to be the reason for this convergence. To better understand the age-displacement relationship, this study takes advantage of the availability of job tenure information and consistent design of the DWS since 1996. Using a Blinder--Oaxaca decomposition, it analyzes the effect of changes in tenure, industry mix, and educational attainment on the displacement rates of younger and older workers. The results show that older workers are now more likely to be displaced than prime-age workers, conditional on education, manufacturing industry, and tenure. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Economics.

Le vieillissement de la population dans les pays développés remet en question la soutenabilité des systèmes de retraite par répartition. Plusieurs réformes ont donc été engagées pour faire face à ce défi démographique. Cependant, les effets des réformes mises en place ont été questionnés. Leur efficacité dépend en effet de la manière dont les seniors répondent aux réformes. Or, les seniors présentent des profils très différents notamment autour de deux dimensions qui sont l’environnement de travail et la situation familiale. Cette hétérogénéité entre les seniors peut affecter leurs comportements de départ à la retraite. Ne pas prendre en compte cette diversité en termes d’environnements dans lesquels évoluent les seniors peut donc conduire à des biais lors des évaluations de politiques publiques. De ce fait, ce travail de thèse analyse, en utilisant des méthodes économétriques, les déterminants, et particulièrement le rôle de l’hétérogénéité professionnelle et familiale, du processus de décision de départ à la retraite. Dans un premier temps, l’hétérogénéité des individus en termes d’environnement professionnel est prise en compte lors de l’analyse du rôle de la qualité de vie au travail dans le processus de décision de départ à la retraite. Dans un second temps, l’hétérogénéité en termes d’environnement familial est prise en compte lors de l’analyse du processus de décision au sein des couples et des déterminants à ce processus pour chacun des conjoints. Finalement, une évaluation de politique publique sous le prisme de décisions jointes au sein des couples est réalisée pour tester la présence d’effet de débordement, via le conjoint, de la réforme sur la stratégie de départ à la retraite propre à l’individu. Les résultats de ce travail de thèse soulignent le rôle important de l’hétérogénéité des seniors lors de la décision de départ à la retraite. Ces résultats encouragent donc la prise en compte, par les décideurs publiques, de cette hétérogénéité des seniors. La coordination des politiques sociales liées à la retraite, la famille et la qualité de vie au travail est une piste pour considérer cette hétérogénéité entre les seniors / The aging of the population calls into question the sustainability of Pay-As-You-Go pension system, especially in Europe. Therefore, several reforms have been implemented to face this demographic challenge. However, the effects of those reforms have been questioned. Indeed, the success of such policies depends on how people respond to changes in their pension eligibility. In reality though, several factors may limit the reforms impact. People are indeed heterogeneous in terms of work environment and family. These heterogeneity may affect their retirement behaviors. To not take into account this individuals’ heterogeneity may lead to bias within public policy evaluations. Hence, this thesis analyses, with econometrics methods, determinants of retirement decisions making process by considering this individuals’ heterogeneity. First, the heterogeneity within work environment is taken into account by analyzing the role of job quality in the process of retirement decisions. Second, the family heterogeneity is studied by questioning joint retirement process into couples and determinants of this process for each spouse. Third, consequences to public policies are then studied as it is estimated to what extent a change in pension eligibility rules has direct and also spillover effects, through the partner, on spouses’ retirement probabilities. Results of this thesis work highlight the significant role of older workers’ heterogeneity during retirement decision. Those findings thus encourage policy makers to take into account this individuals’ heterogeneity. The coordination of social policies relate to retirement, family and job quality is a key issue for reflection

The main goal of this thesis is to analyze and evaluate the position of older workers in the european labour market in the context of population ageing. Global development, as well as the development in Europe, is assessed on the basis of the main demographic indicators. I try to evaluate the progress achieved in the period 2000-2009 after the summit in Lisbon. A separate chapter is devoted to demographic development and the situation of older workers in the Czech labour market.

L’allongement de la vie professionnelle est l’une des dispositions prise par les politiques afin de faire face au vieillissement démographique. Dans cette perspective, les salariés entrent dans un processus de vieillissement au travail. Le travail, lui-même, a fortement évolué au cours des dernières décennies. Il est marqué par de nombreux changements techniques et organisationnels qui ont pour effet de reconfigurer les pratiques et compétences des salariés (Caroli, 2001 ; Greenan, 2003 ; Vendramin & Valenduc, 2002). Les salariés vieillissent et devront vieillir dans des environnements de plus en plus médiatisés par les TIC. Or, les difficultés des salariés les plus âgés à s’adapter aux changements techniques et technologiques sont connues et démontrées (Czaja et Sharit, 1993 ; Greenan, Narcy & Volkoff, 2012) aux dépens des ressources mobilisées par ces salariés de façon à ce qu’ils continuent à « bien faire » leur travail. Dès lors, notre thèse vise à interroger (a) les effets des nouvelles technologies sur l’activité des salariés âgés ainsi que (b) les conditions sociotechniques qui permettent l’acceptation des TIC par ces salariés âgés. Nous postulons que les TIC n’ont pas nécessairement un effet délétère sur l’activité des salariés âgés dès lors que l’environnement sociotechnique rend possible le développement de l’activité de ces derniers.Dans la perspective d’une approche tout à la fois systémique, située et développementale, nous avons déployé une démarche de recueil procédant par double triangulation : méthodologique et des points de vue. A cet effet, des entretiens semi-directifs ont été réalisés à la fois avec des représentants syndicaux, médecins du travail, demandeurs d’emploi seniors et salariés âgés. L’objectif est d’appréhender les relations entre vieillissement et travail de différents points de vue. Des observations et techniques de verbalisations ont également été mobilisées afin d’appréhender l’activité des salariés âgés in situ. Enfin, des entretiens d’explicitations ont été menés sur la base des observations précédemment citées afin de cerner ce qui, dans l’expérience vécue de chaque salarié âgé, orientait ses actions, tout en permettant, ou non, le développement de son activité. Nos résultats confirment que les relations vieillissement, travail et TIC sont complexes. En effet, une multitude d’éléments rentrent en jeu dans leur configuration et dans leur articulation. Néanmoins, certains d’entre eux apparaissent prépondérants : le niveau de formation initiale, l’existence et l’appartenance à un collectif de travail, la possibilité de mobiliser le métier dans sa dimension transpersonnelle (outils de travail, ficelles du métier), la latitude organisationnelle ou encore que le caractère « plastique » et ajustable des TIC aux exigences de l’activité. Ces éléments sont tout autant de moyens qui permettent aux salariés âgés de développer les compétences nécessaires à l’usage des TIC en situation pour ainsi les intégrer à leurs pratiques de travail. / The lengthening of working life has been one of the policy measures taken in order to deal with demographic ageing, and this has led workers to enter the ageing process as they are still working. Work itself has much evolved over the last few decades, as many technical and organizational changes have reconfigured the practices and skills of workers (Caroli, 2001, Greenan, 2003, Vendramin & Valenduc, 2002). Workers age, and will continue to age, in environments ever more shaped by information and communication technologies (ICT). The difficulties that the oldest workers face in adapting to technical and technological change has been well known (Czaja and Sharit, 1993; Greenan, Narcy & Volkoff, 2012) and demonstrated by the resources they mobilize so as to keep on doing “good work.” Our thesis seeks to investigate (a) the effects new technologies have on the activity of older workers as well as (b) the sociotechnical conditions that enable them to accept ICTs. We posit that ICTs are not necessarily detrimental to the activity of older workers as long as the sociotechnical environment enables its development.Using an approach that is at once systemic, situated and developmental, we have collected data by double triangulation – methodologically, as well as by gathering points of view. We have achieved this through semi-directive interviews held with union representatives, occupational health doctors, elderly job seekers and older workers. The aim is to gain better insight into the relation between work and ageing, from different points of view. Observations and verbalization techniques have also been performed to understand the activity of older workers in situ. Finally, clarifying interviews have been held following observations in order to discern which aspects in the experience of each older worker oriented their actions while enabling, or not, the development of their activity.Our findings confirm that the relations between ageing, work and ITCs are complex, as many factors come into play in their configuration and articulation. There appear however to be a certain number of overriding factors: level of initial education; existence of, and belonging to, a work collective; ability to engage in the transpersonal dimension of one’s progression (working tools and “tricks of the trade”); organizational latitude; or the “plasticity” or adaptability of ICTs to the demands of the activity. All these are means for older workers to develop the necessary skills to use ICTs situationally so as to integrate them in their professional practice.

Despite the availability, capability, and inclination of older workers to remain in the workforce, research indicates that older workers are generally perceived and evaluated less favorably than younger workers (cf., Kite, Stockdale, Whitley, &Johnson, 2005). However, little is known about what factors lead older workers to be perceived less favorably. Up until this point, research investigating attitudes towards older workers has been limited to traditional work contexts. However, telework is an increasingly popular alternative work context and may be more appropriate for older workers. Another possible factor relating to evaluations of older workers is knowledge about age-related changes in ability. For example, the task demands of a job may be particularly high in fluid ability or crystallized ability. The work context and task demands of a job may be two potential sources of influence regarding perceptions of older workers. In the current set of studies, I examined the impact of applicant age, work context (telework and office work), and task demands (fluid ability and crystallized ability) on participants ratings of younger and older job applicants. In Study 1, a total of 16 job descriptions were selected based on their suitability and dependency on: office work/crystallized ability, office work/fluid ability, telework/crystallized ability, telework/fluid ability. Hiring managers recognized the jobs that were suited to telework or office work, but did not distinguish when either fluid or crystallized ability was of primary importance to a particular job. In Study 2, participants rated either younger or older applicants for 4 jobs selected from Study 1. The results of Study 2 were compelling. Older applicants were rated as more qualified when the job was dependent on crystallized ability, as well as when the job took place in a telework context. However, there were no significant differences between older and younger applicants when the job was dependent on fluid ability, or when the job took place in an office work context. The current research is critical to understanding the influence of task demands and the work context on differences between evaluations of older and younger workers.