Older workers’ representation and age-based stereotype threats in the workplace

What is it about?

Despite the growing proportion of older workers in the labor force, members of this social group may lack a sense of belonging when underrepresented in a particular organization. By examining the association between underrepresentation and stereotype threats, this paper aims to contribute to the literature on minority representation effects on stereotype threat extending the research to workplace settings.

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Why is it important?

This paper contributes to the literature by showing the importance of negative age-based metastereotypes in workplace age dynamics. It also provides further support for a multi-threat approach to the experience of age-based stereotype threats in the workplace, to the extent that the representation of older workers is negatively related to group-reputation threat, but not to own-reputation threat. There is, therefore, a definite need for managers to take a closer look at the process of social identity management in the workplace in order to improve diversity interventions’ effectiveness.

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