Older workers benefit more from feedback and support
When it comes to receiving feedback and support from colleagues, it has a more significant impact on the performance of older workers compared to younger workers, according to research by David Patient at Vlerick Business School and colleagues.
The researchers also found that when older workers give feedback and support to colleagues it positively impacts their performance, and more so than in the case of younger colleagues.
These findings come from research by David Patient, Professor of Leadership at Vlerick Business School, alongside Tatiana Marques, from Catolica-Lisbon School of Business and Economics, Sarah Ramos, from Instituto Universitario de Lisboa, and Ramona Bobocel, from the University of Waterloo.
The researchers wanted to deepen their understanding of how to keep older workers healthy, motivated, and productive within the workplace – and how this differs from younger workers.
To do so, the researchers conducted a three-part study of both older and younger workers, regarding the social support and feedback that they gave and received in the workplace, and how this impacted their work performance.
The researchers surveyed over 450 participants across all ages over a three-week period. Participants were asked about the social support and feedback they received and gave in their workplace, as well as their own work performance across the time period.
They found that in the case of older workers, receiving social support from colleagues was more likely to positively impact performance than was the case for younger workers. The performance of older workers also benefitted more from giving social support, with the relationship between giving social support and an increase in performance starting at around the age of 43, and then increasing as workers get older. Receiving support increased performance for both older and younger workers, but the positive effect became stronger with age.
When it came to receiving feedback, the effects on performance were positive for both older and younger workers. On the other hand, giving feedback only had a positive effect on the performance of older workers.
“Greater longevity and lower birth rates are causing the population to age worldwide with workers aged 55 or more becoming the fastest growing workforce segment. At the same time, fewer younger workers are entering the job market, and the potential workforce is expected to shrink by 10 per cent between 2020 and 2050”, said Professor David Patient and his co-authors.
“These changes in workforce composition pose challenges to HR managers who need to ensure that older workers remain healthy, motivated, and productive across longer career spans – focusing on social support and feedback is one way to do so."
The researchers point out that these findings show that when it comes to motivating older workers – many of whom often face social exclusion in work - managers should focus on creating a positive work environment fuelled by interaction among employees, including the giving and receiving of social support and feedback.
The researchers also say that schemes that foster collaboration and interdependence among all employees and allow older and younger workers to interact directly with each other, such as reverse mentoring, could be helpful in boosting older workers’ motivation and performance.
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