Department of Communication, Faculty of Arts, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
J Appl Gerontol. 2023 Jun;42(6):1223-1233. doi: 10.1177/07334648231163840. Epub 2023 Mar 15.
Ageism toward older workers is prevalent in the labor market. The present study aimed to understand psychosocial mechanisms that may counteract this form of discrimination and help retain workers in the labor force. Using a sample of 500 Canadian younger and older workers, this study tested a model hypothesizing that intergenerational contacts and knowledge sharing practices can reduce ageist views about older adults and age-based discrimination against one's own group, and in turn, enhance work engagement and intentions to remain in the workplace. The final model shows that knowledge sharing practices mediate the relationship between intergroup contacts and positive views about older workers as well as age-based discrimination. It also suggests that low levels of age-based discrimination increase work engagement and intentions to remain in the organization for workers of all ages. Practice and policy implications are discussed.
年龄歧视在劳动力市场中普遍存在。本研究旨在了解可能抵消这种歧视形式并帮助工人留在劳动力队伍中的心理社会机制。本研究使用了加拿大 500 名年轻和年长工人的样本，测试了一个假设模型，即代际接触和知识共享实践可以减少对老年人的年龄歧视观念和对自己群体的基于年龄的歧视，并进而增强工作投入和留在工作场所的意愿。最终模型表明，知识共享实践在代际接触与对老年工人的积极看法以及基于年龄的歧视之间起中介作用。它还表明，低水平的基于年龄的歧视会增加所有年龄段工人的工作投入和留在组织的意愿。讨论了实践和政策的影响。
