TRAINING AND ITS IMPACT

Training And Its Impact On The Job Performance Of Older Employees

Table of Contents

Table of Contents2

CHAPTER I3

Introduction3

Background of The Study3

Purpose of the present research4

Research Question4

CHAPTER II5

Review of Related Literature5

Introduction5

HRD strategy and small-medium enterprises6

HRD practices and SMEs10

Training, development and education: some suggestions for SMEs11

Workforce diversity management: challenges and opportunities in HRD for SMEs13

Older employees and Baby Boomers16

Generation X and Generation Y19

Blending different generations in the workplace - some suggestions for SMEs22

Adopting a targeted approach24

Renewing critical skills25

Offering new challenges26

Integrating training into recruitment27

The key development issues28

CHAPTER III30

Method30

Study 1. Participants and procedure30

Measures30

CHAPTER IV32

Results32

Effectiveness in recruiting and retaining older workers32

Training and development practices32

Study 2. Participants and procedure33

Measures34

Results35

Effectiveness in recruiting and retaining older workers35

Training and development practices36

Reasons for not engaging in the HR practices37

CHAPTER V38

Discussion38

The aging workforce issue38

Training-related HR practices38

Implications40

CHAPTER VI42

Conclusion42

References45

CHAPTER I

Introduction

The workforce is aging in all industrialized nations, but particularly in those nations with a relatively large baby boom generation. This process is especially noticeable in Canada, which is distinguished by the relatively large size of a baby boom generation growing steadily older (Statistics Canada, 2003). Over the next ten years, the 55- to 64-year age group in Canada will increase by more than 50 percent, largely due to the entrance of baby boomers into this age group. By 2015, it is forecast that 48 percent of the Canadian working age population will be aged 45 to 64 (Forum of Labour Market Ministers, 2002).

With workers growing older and many slated to retire there is a clear need to retain older workers in the labour force. Lefkovich (1992) argued that older worker recruitment and retention efforts will become one of the dominant business and industrial issues in the coming decades. Employers who fail to recognize and take proactive steps to address the issue of the aging workforce could face serious workforce shortages in the future.

Background of The Study

Training is an important component of retention and increasing the availability of training is critical for retaining older workers (The Commonwealth Fund, 1993). However, it is well documented that employers have been largely remiss in providing training for older employees. In a study involving 437 human resource (HR) executives in organizations across Canada, Towers Perrin (1991) found that almost two-thirds of the organizations were not concerned about the aging workforce. Only 5 percent of the organizations were providing retraining for older workers. The authors of this study concluded that Canadian organizations were showing little concern or action in relation to the aging workforce. Betcherman et al. (1998) reported that only 9.6 percent of workers 55-64 participate in employer supported training in Canada. These findings are consistent with those reported by researchers in the UK (Dibden and Hibbett, 1993; Lissenburgh and Smeaton, 2003; Taylor and Urwin, 2001) which also show that older workers are less likely to be offered training opportunities and to participate in training.

Purpose of the present research

In this paper we present the findings from two studies that focused on training and development practices targeting managerial and professional employees aged 50 and ...