Managers’ attitudes to their older employees: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Societal interest in enabling older workers to prolong their working life has increased in recent years due to demographic change. Managers have a key role in extending working life among employees, because they control the organisation, work environment and potential measures enabling older workers to extend their working life.

OBJECTIVE:

To examine managers’ attitudes to their older workers.

METHOD:

A cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire answered by 905 managers working in different municipal departments in Sweden.

RESULTS:

Managers’ attitude to their older workers’ retirement time appeared to be associated with their own retirement planning. Managers who themselves wanted to work beyond 66 years considered it more important to keep older workers beyond that age than managers planning to retire at 66. The managers reported that older people were more careful, possessed experiences, skills and life knowledge that were useful in the workplace and helped guide new employees and younger employees. On the other hand, the majority of managers agreed with the stereotypical claim that older people are slower, resistant to change, less well educated and hostile to technology.

CONCLUSION:

The study stated that the managers’ attitude to their own retirement planning affected their attitude to the retirement age for their older employees. This is important to consider in the debate of delayed retirement, and to perform activities and incentives in the society to change those attitudes if more people should get the possibility to an extended working life. Additional, almost 50% of the managers surveyed recognised possible measures for adapting work tasks to suit their ageing employees. However, only 5% of managers reported the existence of organisational measures targeted at promoting a sustainable work situation for older employees in their municipal department. The managers were interested in retaining older employees mainly if those older employees had some specific skills that were needed by the department, and not in general.

Keywords

Age management age discrimination ageing retirement demography extended working life older workers

1 Introduction

To cope with the burden of an ageing population, many countries have proposed reforms to increase the statutory retirement age [1, 2]. However, the ageing increase the risk of work injury and diseases [3 –6]. Activities in the organisations and enterprises is therefore needed to make working life more sustainable to an increased age and to effect older workers possibility for work force participation [7]. The attitudes of organisations toward retaining older workers beyond the statutory retirement age determine whether older workers have the opportunity to extend their working life [8 –11]. Managers play a very significant role in this, because they control the work environment and are critical for whether older employees feel valued and stimulated in their work situation [8 , 12]. Ageing is sometimes considered a legitimate reason to refuse to employ or to terminate employment [13]. A stereotypical negative attitude to older workers may push them out of working life early [14 –19]. Categorisation of older employees may sometimes become so negative that it becomes a case of age discrimination and ageism [20, 21]. Poor support by management is associated with lower work ability and greater unwillingness to continue working until 65 years of age [22]. Older workers pushed into retirement as a result of managers’ attitude to older workers and age discrimination experience lower wellbeing in older age than those who retire for other reasons [23, 24]. However, previous studies have revealed that employees more often want to work beyond 65 years if they perceive that their managers are interested in their welfare and recognise their long experience and skills [8, 12]. Managers’ attitudes and behaviour towards their older employees are therefore important in prolonged working life and in healthy ageing [14].

The overall aim of the present study was to investigate managers’ attitudes to their older employees. Specific questions addressed were: i) What are managers’ attitudes to their ageing employees retiring? ii) What factors do managers believe influence their employees to leave work for retirement? and iii) Are there any measures in managers’ organisations to promote longer working life?

2 Method

To study managers’ attitudes to their older workers, a questionnaire was distributed by e-mail to the managers of departments in different urban municipal authorities in Sweden. The selected study population in the study comprised of the total amount of 1965 managers’ in the address list of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Region’s Local Authorities management network. The individuals received an e-mail with a link to an internet platform containing a questionnaire with 28 questions and a detailed description of the study. Participation was voluntary and the data were analysed anonymously. The responses were allocated an ID code and were arranged within the internet platform into a dataset with no identification of the respondents. The investigation was conducted according to the principles expressed in the Helsinki Declaration. The departmental review board at the Swedish National Institute for Working Life approved the study. Statistical analysis of frequencies was carried out using the statistical programme SPSS.

2.1 Study population

The questionnaire was answered by 905 (46%) of the managers contacted, who were employed at various levels in municipal departments in Sweden. Of these, 30% were women and 70% were men. The age range of respondents was 27–68 years and the average age was 55 years. About 37% of the respondents reported they would be able to work to 66 years or longer, but only about 15% wanted to work to 66 years or longer (Table 1).

Table 1
Managers’ responses on how long they thought they could work, and to what age they wanted to work

Professional areas Percent of managers who thought they could work until 66+ themselves (%) Percent of managers who wanted to work until 66+ themselves (%)

Nurseries and pre-school 34.5 20.0

After-school clubs 37.2 20.9

Primary schools 40.0 20.0

Secondary schools 34.7 20.4

Adult schools 40.0 18.3

Health and medical care 31.6 15.8

Disability centres 37.5 14.6

Elderly care 43.3 20.0

Social welfare 40.3 14.5

Libraries 38.9 13.9

Park management 35.7 14.3

Property management 37.5 16.3

Public transport 31.6 5.3

Grounds maintenance 34.1 9.8

Road maintenance 32.1 15.4

Water services 31.5 10.9

Energy and heating 30.0 6.7

Firefighting 23.3 11.7

Economics and finance 36.5 10.3

Total 36.5 14.6

Professional areas	Percent of managers who thought they could work until 66+ themselves (%)	Percent of managers who wanted to work until 66+ themselves (%)
Nurseries and pre-school	34.5	20.0
After-school clubs	37.2	20.9
Primary schools	40.0	20.0
Secondary schools	34.7	20.4
Adult schools	40.0	18.3
Health and medical care	31.6	15.8
Disability centres	37.5	14.6
Elderly care	43.3	20.0
Social welfare	40.3	14.5
Libraries	38.9	13.9
Park management	35.7	14.3
Property management	37.5	16.3
Public transport	31.6	5.3
Grounds maintenance	34.1	9.8
Road maintenance	32.1	15.4
Water services	31.5	10.9
Energy and heating	30.0	6.7
Firefighting	23.3	11.7
Economics and finance	36.5	10.3
Total	36.5	14.6

The managers worked in various activities, namely: nurseries and pre-school (8 month–5 years of age), primary schools (6–16 years of age), after-school clubs (6–12 years of age), secondary schools (15–19 years of age), adult schools (18+ years of age), health and medical care, disability centres, elderly care, social welfare, libraries, park management, property management, public transport, grounds maintenance, road maintenance, economics and finance, firefighting, water services, energy and heating.

2.2 Statistical analysis

The analysis was performed with the statistical analysis system SPSS. In the first step, frequency tables of different questions and cross-tabulated responses to the questions were produced. All results presented are statistically significant (p < 0.05) according to Pearson’s chi-square test.

In the second analytical step, logistic regression models generating odds ratios (OR), 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), and probability (P) values were used to investigate the managers’ perceptions of causes of their employees leaving working life early, and the association with whether the managers believed that their employees retired too early (or not). The process started with univariate analyses (i.e. evaluated the associations for one statement at a time). In a second step, the statement with the lowest P-value (if P < 0.05) was retained and all other statements were tentatively included, one at a time. In a third step, the two statements with the lowest P-values (if both P < 0.05) were retained and the remaining statements were tentatively included one at a time. This procedure continued for as long as the P-value for all statements included was <0.05. In the next step, multivariate models were run by including the selected statements. The statements with P < 0.05 were kept in the model to the next step. After that, the statements removed were tested one at a time in the final model, to check once more if the model was robust.

2.3 Methodology considerations

There were some limitations in the study. The low frequency of responses was probably because some of those in the selected study population, i.e. some of those individuals with their e-mail address included in the manager network e-mail list were no longer managers. These individuals responded by stating that they would not answer the survey. There was also a problem with the internet questionnaire whereby it was not possible to interrupt answering and come back and finish the survey later. Some managers phoned or mailed to express their frustration about that problem. Finally, the survey was conducted in December, when many of the managers were very busy before the Christmas break and therefore did not prioritise participating in the survey.

3 Results

3.1 Managers’ attitudes towards their older employees

The results revealed managers’ attitudes towards their older employees. Most managers felt that these older workers possessed experience and skills, were more accurate in their work, had life experience which was useful in the workplace and were a supporting resource for younger and new employees (Table 2). However, most managers also partly agreed that older employees were slower, had more difficultly embracing change, were not as flexible in their thinking, were less well educated and were more hostile to new technology.

Table 2
Managers’ attitudes to their older workers. The highest percentage response is marked in bold for each statement

How do you in general view employees in your organisation who are 55 years or older?

Totally agree (%) Partly agree (%) Don’t agree at all (%)

Older workers have a lot of experience and knowledge 85.2 14.5 0.3

Older workers are more careful in their work 17.3 57.8 24.9

Older workers are particularly good in proper treatment of clients/patients/students 17.0 51.9 31.0

Older workers support younger and newly employed workers 64.6 33.7 1.7

Older workers have life experiences which are very important for the work 72.0 25.7 2.2

Older workers are more loyal to the organisation 29.9 50.9 19.1

Older workers work more slowly 4.5 52.8 42.7

It is more difficult for older workers to accept changes 12.5 68.1 19.4

Older workers’ attitudes are not flexible 6.9 58.6 34.6

Older workers are hostile to new technology 7.3 59.8 32.9

Older workers are often not as well educated as younger employees 13.7 53.0 33.3

Older workers are not as productive any more 3.9 47.2 49.0

How do you in general view employees in your organisation who are 55 years or older?
Older workers have a lot of experience and knowledge	85.2	14.5	0.3
Older workers are more careful in their work	17.3	57.8	24.9
Older workers are particularly good in proper treatment of clients/patients/students	17.0	51.9	31.0
Older workers support younger and newly employed workers	64.6	33.7	1.7
Older workers have life experiences which are very important for the work	72.0	25.7	2.2
Older workers are more loyal to the organisation	29.9	50.9	19.1
Older workers work more slowly	4.5	52.8	42.7
It is more difficult for older workers to accept changes	12.5	68.1	19.4
Older workers’ attitudes are not flexible	6.9	58.6	34.6
Older workers are hostile to new technology	7.3	59.8	32.9
Older workers are often not as well educated as younger employees	13.7	53.0	33.3
Older workers are not as productive any more	3.9	47.2	49.0

The average age of employees in the participating managers’ departments was 47.5 years, with a standard deviation of 6 years. The managers also reported that the average retirement age for their male employees was 62 years and for their female employees 61 years. However, 90% of the managers stated that their male employees did not retire too early and 89% that their female employees did not retire too early. It emerged that the managers in this study, on average, felt that both their male and female employees were older employees at 59 years of age. Despite this, 59% of the managers stated that it was important to their organisation to retain their employees until at least 65 years of age, while 41% stated that this was not important. Furthermore, 14% of managers reported that their organisation needed its employees to work beyond 66 years of age, while 86% stated that there was no need for this. There was not any significant difference in association to the managers own age, sex or professional areas. However, cross-tabulation indicated that 36% of those managers who themselves wanted to work beyond 66 years considered it important to keep their employees beyond 66 years. In contrast, only 11% of managers who wanted to leave working life before 65 years considered it important to keep employees beyond 66 years of age. There was not any significant difference in association to the managers own age, sex or professional areas. Among those managers who themselves wanted to work beyond 66 years, 33% reported that most of their employees also wanted to work beyond 66 years. However, only 14% of those managers who wanted to retire before 65 years stated that most of their employees wanted to work beyond 65 years. There was not any significant difference in association to the managers own age, sex or professional areas.

The reasons managers gave as to why it was important to keep older employees beyond 66 years were in the following order of ranking: older employees need to transfer their experience and skills to the organisation/younger employees; older employees have expertise that is otherwise lacking in the organisation; older employees are needed overall in the organisation; and older employees must complete ongoing projects for which they are responsible before they retire. The managers who indicated that they had employees still working beyond 66 years of age stated that the form of employment for those older workers was permanent (34%), hourly (25%), or temporary (41%).

Obvious interest among older employees in continuing to work beyond 65 years of age was reported by 17% of managers, while 83% said that there was no such interest among their employees. The managers indicated that their older employees wanted to work beyond 65 years for the following reasons, listed in order of frequency: economic reasons; the older employees themselves feel that they are needed in the organisation; the older employees want to transfer their experience and knowledge; the older employees have expertise that is not available otherwise; and the older employees want to complete ongoing projects. The managers also indicated that among the employees who wanted to work after 65 years, most desired to continue in permanent employment.

Only 7% of managers reported that Swedish regulations had negative effects on keeping and recruiting older workers, while 93% did not consider this to be the case. The managers who reported negative effects of regulations attributed these mainly to: the terms of the Swedish Employment Protection Act (LAS); retirement regulations; and rules in the social insurance system. Other perceived obstacles to prolonged employment were: physical requirements; health and safety at work; and tasks which older employees found more difficult, e.g. smoke diving and chemical diving by firefighters.

3.2 Managers’ attitudes to employees’ retirement

In order to study what managers believed to be the reason for their employees leaving the workplace before 65 years, the respondents were asked to indicate the five most common causes. The managers’ responses differed for male and female employees. In general, the ranking of reasons the managers cited for their male employees leaving the workforce before 65 years was as follows: physical health problems (21%); wanting to spend more time with family and in leisure activities (13%); financially viable to leave work (13%); their partner had retired (12%); occupational pension or other financial compensation (10%); re-organisation (6%); mental health problems (6%); not possible to redeploy (4%); disliked changes made in the work situation and work environment (4%); too rapid work pace (3%); lack of work satisfaction (3%); dissatisfaction with work tasks (2%); shortage of tasks (1%); poor comfort in the working group (1%); lack of competence and skills (1%); and bullying (0.05%).

The ranking of reasons the managers cited for their female employees leaving the workforce before 65 years was: physical health problems (21%); their partner had retired (16%); wanting to spend more time with family and in leisure activities (14%); financially viable to leave work (11%); mental health problems (8%); occupational pension or other financial compensation (7%); re-organisation (5%); too rapid work pace (4%); not possible to redeploy (4%); disliked changes made in the work situation and work environment (4%); shortage of tasks (2%); lack of work satisfaction (2%); dissatisfaction with work tasks (1%); poor comfort in the working group (1%); lack of competence and skills (1%); and bullying (0.1%).

The association between whether the managers believed their employees retired too early and the managers’ ranking of reasons for their employees’ retirement, i.e. the 16 reasons listed above, were then analysed. A logistic regression multivariate model revealed an association between managers believing that their male employees left working life too early and older male employees disliking changes made in the work situation (OR 3.39) and work satisfaction among older male employees (OR 3.27) (Table 3).

Table 3
Association between managers who believed their male employees retired too early and different reasons for their male employees leaving working life

Statement Univariate estimates Multivariate model

OR Sig. 95% Cl OR Sig. 95% Cl

Dislike changes made in the work situation/work environment 4.122 0.000 2.031–8.565 3.386 0.004 1.470–7.800

Lack of work satisfaction 4.590 0.000 2.080–10.128 3.271 0.002 1.555–6.877

Poor comfort in the working group 5.791 0.003 1.836–18.267

Re-organisation 2.255 0.025 1.106–4.601

Statement	Univariate estimates	Multivariate model
Dislike changes made in the work situation/work environment	4.122	0.000	2.031–8.565	3.386	0.004	1.470–7.800
Lack of work satisfaction	4.590	0.000	2.080–10.128	3.271	0.002	1.555–6.877
Poor comfort in the working group	5.791	0.003	1.836–18.267
Re-organisation	2.255	0.025	1.106–4.601

Another logistic regression multivariate model revealed an association between the managers believing that their female employees left working life too early and their older female employees having too rapid a work pace (OR 3.52) and physical illness (OR 1.88) (Table 4).

Table 4

Association between managers who believed their female employees retired too early and different reasons for their female employees leaving working life

Statement	Univariate estimates			Multivariate model
	OR	Sig.	95% Cl	OR	Sig.	95% Cl
Too rapid work pace	3.812	0.000	2.011–7.224	3.524	0.000	1.849–6.717
Physical illness	2.067	0.018	1.135–3.764	1.884	0.041	1.027–3.455
Mental health/stress	2.063	0.016	1.143–3.725
Lack of work satisfaction	3.472	0.005	1.465–8.231
Not possible to redeploy	2.160	0.037	1.048–4.455

3.4 Specific measures to create a sustainable work situation for older employees

In terms of measures that would increase their older employees’ opportunities to work, the managers cited in particular: reduction in working hours, individual adaptation of working time, and financial incentives to encourage their older employees to work beyond 65 years in their organisation. The results for male employees are presented in Fig. 1 and for female employees in Fig. 2.

Fig.1

Measures managers believed would increase their older male employees’ opportunities to work to 65 years or longer.

Fig.2

Measures managers believed would increase their older female employees’ opportunities to work to 65 years or longer.

The respondents reported that age perspective policies and measures were decided at different levels of their organisation. Only 5% of managers reported that there were consistent measures to retain older employees in their Swedish municipal organisation. The managers who indicated that measures were in place described these as: health and fitness activities; skills transferring projects between generations; older employees being able to reduce their working hours; and specific mentoring/tutoring projects.

Among the remaining respondents, 54% considered it impossible to introduce any measures to retain older employees in their own workplace. However, 46% saw a possibility to introduce some measures to retain older employees. In order of frequency, these were: adapt or change their tasks in some way; reduce working hours; permit part-time work; allocate less physically demanding tasks; more flexible working hours; improve the mental work environment; work rotation; rearrangement of different tasks; and individual fitted solutions to the older employee. The managers also mentioned various work aids and equipment; less classroom time for teachers; smaller teaching groups; special projects/responsibilities; administrative tasks; and not allocating older employees very heavy and demanding tasks (e.g. smoke diving operations).

Some 11% of the managers reported that they already have specific strategies and policies in place, which are primarily targeted at those aged 55 or older, in their department. In order of frequency, these were: allowing older employees to work less time without this affecting their pension; allocating older employees specially adapted tasks; awareness of the risk of age discrimination in salary setting; using older employees as expertise/mentors/tutoring in the organisation; and providing an extra day off for teachers over 60. In Sweden, it is mandatory for managers to hold a personal development meeting with each member of their staff every year. This meeting is an occasion for the manager to discuss the employee’s situation and career prospects. The managers were asked whether they included the age perspective as a special item in personal development meetings and the responses revealed that 33% of managers did so, but 68% did not.

4 Discussion

This survey of managers’ attitudes to their older employees revealed that more than half of all respondents (n = 905) considered it important to retain their employees to 65 years. The managers regarded their older employees’ experience and skills very favourably. They believed that it was important to actively promote extended working life. Remaining in the workforce becomes more attractive when the company has a positive attitude to older workers as wise elders, valuing their experience and knowledge [7 , 26]. Valuing older employees’ skills and experience increases their willingness to work for longer, even after 65 years. However, the managers’ attitude to their own retirement age and retirement planning affected their attitude to the retirement age for their older employees. It also emerged in the survey that less than one in six managers was interested in raising the retirement age to 66 years or beyond in their own organisation. Furthermore, only one in twenty reported having a specific project for older employees in their workplace, despite nearly half of the managers recognising the possibility of introducing age-appropriate measures in their organisation. The paradox is that few organisations take any practical steps to increase the chances of older employees extending their working life, even though they agree with the need for such steps [27]. Earlier research has stated the importance of age awarded education for managers and HR to increase the understanding of the complexity and importance of older employees extending their working life [28 –30]. A theoretical model is therefore developed and used in different organisations in Europe to increase knowledge of the complexity of ageing in working life and how to make working life more sustainable to an older age (http://www.swage.org/).

It was found in the present study that the managers’ attitude to their own retirement age and retirement planning affected their attitude to the retirement age for their older employees. Thus, 36% of those who themselves wanted to work beyond 66 years considered it important to keep older workers in the organisation, compared with 11% among those managers who themselves wanted to retire before 65 years. Furthermore, the managers who themselves want to retire before 65 also more often reported that their employees wanted to retire early. This confirms findings of a previous study showing that managers’ own retirement plans influence their attitudes to extending the career of their older workers [2]. It appears that the prevailing cultural image in society of older workers leaving the workforce is central to managers’ attitudes to their own older employees [30]. It is very difficult for older workers to go on and work in an extended working life if the managers, organisations and enterprises is negative to this and does not make it possible. The managers’ influence on individuals’ possibility to extend their working life needs to be highlighted in the debate on how to make working life more sustainable to an older age.

The managers surveyed in this study also had some negative and stereotypical attitudes to their ageing employees, and considered their older employees to have more difficulties in absorbing changes, to work slower, to be less well educated, and to be hostile to technology. Viewing older workers as stagnant and as an obstacle to organisational development pushes people out of working life early [9 , 13–18]. Ageing and its effect on working ability varies widely [3–7 , 32]. Some middle-aged and older people are worn out by hard work and for health reasons cannot manage a full working life [33]. Highly educated older workers are often described as having better health and not physically declining as rapidly with increasing age as those with less education [34]. However, there is no simple education-associated factor that affects ageing since genes, lifestyle and other factors also play a part. In general, there is little difference in work productivity between an employee aged 65 years or one aged 66 years, so this is not the reason for retirement. Indeed, the managers surveyed here stated that their older employees were no less productive than younger employees. Earlier studies have also shown that in general, productivity is not specifically affected by age [32, 35].

In the questionnaire, the managers were asked about measures that would improve older employees’ opportunity to work to 65 years or longer. The responses mentioned measures to adapt work time and work load and also financial incentives. However, the older employees’ own retirement planning was not surveyed, so it was not possible to analyse that in association with the managers’ attitudes to it. A previous study conducted by the same research team asked 2942 employees aged 55 years and older about measures that would improve their opportunity to work to 65 years [36]. The measures cited were, in the given order: shorter working hours, increased access to health, wellness, and fitness activities during working hours, slower work load, increased control over work, increased work satisfaction, and increased enjoyment and connectedness. The managers in the present study rated work pace and working time as important, but they did not rank wellness, work control, and work enjoyment as highly as did those employees in the earlier study. The importance of working hours and wellness to extend working life needs to be studied further, in order to develop effective measures for retaining older employees.

Age is a basis for discrimination, in the same manner as gender. Age discrimination has sometimes been described as more common for women, with managers in earlier studies viewing women as older workers approximately three years before men [37, 38]. However, in the present survey, managers regarded their employees as older workers at 59 years of age, regardless of gender. Analysis of the factors that the managers believed caused their older workers to retire too early revealed a difference between men and women. The analysis and multivariate model indicated that the managers most commonly stated that their male employees left working life too early because they disliked changes made in the work situation and experienced a lack of work satisfaction; and their female employees left working life too early because their work pace was too rapid and they experienced physical illness. There was no statistically significant association between managers believing that their employees retired too early and the following factors: their partner had left working life; they wanted to spend more time with family and in leisure activities; financially feasible to leave work; occupational pension or other financial compensation; re-organisation; and lack of competence and skills.

The managers in this study indicated that, in general, their male employees did not want to, and their female employees were not able to extend their working life. Men and women dominate in different working areas, and different occupations have differing work demands and the relevant employees leave working life at different ages [8 , 39–43]. In the participating organisations women more often worked in primary schools, secondary schools, adult colleges, nurseries, after-school clubs, health care, disability centre, retirement homes and social welfare. Men worked more often in public transport, grounds maintenance, road maintenance, firefighting, water services and energy. In particular, the female dominated branches in this study seem to have mostly physical work environment problems to deal with, but also mental work environment problems. Earlier research stated that employees in female-dominated occupations with both heavy physical demands and stress leave working life early [18, 44]. The male employees in this study seemed to have most mental work environment problems to deal with, and not as much physical difficulties. Earlier studies of municipal work have shown that whether the manager was male or female technical departments have better financial possibilities with better physical and mental work environmental development than in care departments [45, 46]. This effect the possibility to work in an extended working life in female and male dominated branches. Measures to extend working life need to be matched with sensitivity to the individuals’ needs, e.g. to occupation, age and gender, despite of the gender dominance in the professions. Therefore, more research is needed on multiple effects of employees’ occupation, gender-dominant organisation and retirement age in order to identify measures to create a more sustainable work situation for older male and female employees. The managers surveyed in this study seemed to see both benefits and weaknesses with their older employees. On the one hand, they indicated that older people were more careful, possessed experience, skills and life experience that were useful in the workplace and acted as a guide for new employees and younger employees. On the other hand, the majority of managers agreed with the stereotypical negative statements about older workers, i.e. as slower, resistant to change, less well educated and opposed to new technology. Categorisation and discussions about homogeneous groups, e.g. a certain age range, can easily lead to stereotyping and generalisations [20 , 47]. Lack of social support, e.g. from managers, is often associated with illness and problems [48 –50]. The most common reasons why managers wanted to retain personnel to a higher age in this study were that the older employees had skills that would otherwise be lacking in the organisation and that older employees transfer their experience and skills to the next generation. These results agree with those of previous studies showing that managers’ interest in ageing employees is mostly associated with organisational needs [18, 30]. Organisations and companies have production targets and will not automatically assume that these will continue to be met by an ageing workforce. Moreover, managers probably do feel that it is their responsibility to increase the general retirement age in the community, without support from society. The managers’ responsibility in the organisation is mainly to safeguard productivity and meet the budget. If demographic change requires more people in society to extend their working life, society therefore needs to introduce various incentives and motivations to encourage organisations to retain older employees.

5 Conclusions

Managers’ attitude to their older workers’ retirement age in this study seemed to be associated with their own retirement planning. Managers who themselves wanted to work beyond 66 years considered it more important to keep older workers beyond 66 years of age than managers who intended to retire early. Despite many managers reporting possible measures to better fit the work situation to older worker’s needs, very few had actually implemented any measures to increase the opportunity for older employees to extend their working life. The managers were interested in retaining older employees mainly if those older employees had specific skills that were needed by the organisation, and not in general. Modern societies envisage a need for more people to work beyond 65 years. However, it is managers who control the physical and mental working environment, working time, work load and performance of different employees. They also control factors that could enable older employees to extend their working life and that help older employees feel motivated and stimulated in their work. Managers therefore appear to need more incentives and demands from society to change their attitude to older employees and to introduce more workplace measures to retain older employees.

Conflict of interest

None to report.

Footnotes

Acknowledgments

We want to express our thanks to the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions who supported this work.

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How do you in general view employees in your organisation who are 55 years or older?
	Totally agree (%)	Partly agree (%)	Don’t agree at all (%)
Older workers have a lot of experience and knowledge	85.2	14.5	0.3
Older workers are more careful in their work	17.3	57.8	24.9
Older workers are particularly good in proper treatment of clients/patients/students	17.0	51.9	31.0
Older workers support younger and newly employed workers	64.6	33.7	1.7
Older workers have life experiences which are very important for the work	72.0	25.7	2.2
Older workers are more loyal to the organisation	29.9	50.9	19.1
Older workers work more slowly	4.5	52.8	42.7
It is more difficult for older workers to accept changes	12.5	68.1	19.4
Older workers’ attitudes are not flexible	6.9	58.6	34.6
Older workers are hostile to new technology	7.3	59.8	32.9
Older workers are often not as well educated as younger employees	13.7	53.0	33.3
Older workers are not as productive any more	3.9	47.2	49.0