Noonan Anne E
Center for Research on Women, Wellesley College, Massachusetts 02481, USA.
Int J Aging Hum Dev. 2005;61(3):211-41. doi: 10.2190/38CX-C90V-0K37-VLJA.
Despite the frequently referenced graying of the U.S. workforce, we know relatively little about the work-related concerns and experiences of older workers--those aged 55+. This qualitative study addresses that gap by examining the current employment situations of a purposive sample of 37 older workers. Thematic content analysis revealed a vast diversity in the concerns and experiences of contemporary older workers, with participants being actively involved in all of the traditional stages of work-life development. Findings suggest a deepened or more nuanced view of the principal meanings of work--in particular, identity and social interaction--and highlight several negative aspects of later-life employment such as pension insecurity, unemployment, age discrimination, not having found one's "niche," and chronic interpersonal difficulties with co-workers. Findings are discussed against the backdrop of a rapidly changing workplace and dramatically shifting work-retirement trajectories in which job stability and predictable retirement are less common.
尽管美国劳动力老龄化问题经常被提及，但我们对老年劳动者（55岁及以上）与工作相关的担忧和经历却知之甚少。这项定性研究通过考察37名老年劳动者的目标样本的当前就业状况来填补这一空白。主题内容分析揭示了当代老年劳动者在担忧和经历方面存在巨大差异，参与者积极参与工作-生活发展的所有传统阶段。研究结果表明，人们对工作的主要意义，特别是身份认同和社会互动，有了更深入或更细微的看法，并突出了晚年就业的几个负面方面，如养老金不安全、失业、年龄歧视、未找到自己的“定位”以及与同事长期存在的人际困难。研究结果是在工作场所迅速变化以及工作-退休轨迹急剧转变的背景下进行讨论的，在这种背景下，工作稳定性和可预测的退休情况不太常见。
