Negative Attitudes Toward Older Adults Exacerbate the Shortage of Skilled Workers

A BIBB study shows that companies’ (stereotypical) perceptions of aging influence whether they hire, train, and retain older employees. Especially in the face of a skilled labor shortage, these prejudices become a competitive disadvantage. Conversely, the more positively a company views the performance capabilities of older workers, the higher their share of the workforce—and thus, often, the greater the company’s success based on experience…