The Risks of Workplace Ageism for an Ageing Labour Force

• Author / Creator

  Lai, Jonathan J

• As the Canadian population ages, the labour force will also become older. Over the next decade, the contributions of older workers who are aged 55 and older will become more important to the overall productivity of the Canadian economy. The prolonged working life of older workers is viewed by policymakers as a way to retain skills in the labour force and sustain contributions to government programs in Canada. Older workers, however, can face barriers to their participation in the labour force. Ageism has been recognized as a significant barrier to the employability of older workers. The experience of workplace age discrimination can also have a negative effect on the well-being of workers. Previous studies have demonstrated the detrimental effects that workplace age discrimination can have on worker engagement, a positive psychological state wherein individuals experience high levels of energy, absorption in their tasks, and dedication to the work they do while in their job role. Overall, engaged workers tend to be more productive and experience better health than disengaged workers. In the context of an ageing labour force, workplace ageism represents a potential productivity risk for the Canadian labour force. This exploratory research study provided insight into this important issue by asking the following three questions:
  • What percentage of workers in Canada experience workplace age discrimination?
  • Do positive psychosocial job factors that contribute to worker engagement vary by worker age?
  • Is the experience of workplace age discrimination having a negative effect on worker engagement in Canada?

  Using a nationally representative sample of 6,956 Canadian workers, this study examined the state of reported workplace age discrimination, positive psychosocial job factors, and worker engagement among young, mid-life, and older workers. Overall, two percent of all part-time and full-time workers aged 25 and older experienced at least one instance of workplace age discrimination in the past 12 months, but the actual prevalence of age discrimination may be underreported. All three age categories of workers experienced similar levels of positive psychosocial job factors associated with work engagement. Older workers reported the highest mean levels of worker engagement. Participation in decision-making for individual workers and social support from colleagues, managers, and supervisors contributed to higher levels of worker engagement. Findings indicate that workplace age discrimination was not having a negative impact on worker engagement in Canada. Ageism remains a persistent barrier to the labour force participation of older workers. As older workers will continue to comprise a greater proportion of the labour force, future research will want to better monitor trends on age discrimination in the workplace. The actual prevalence of workplace age discrimination in Canada is likely higher than the proportion estimated in this study.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Ageism
  • Age Discrimination
  • Older Workers
  • Worker Engagement
  • Psychological Health and Safety
  • Workplace

• Graduation date

  Spring 2024

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-6q72-wx06

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.