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Age Discrimination and Employability in Healthcare Work: A Double-Edged Sword for Older Workers?

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  • Karen Pak

    (Institute for Management Research, Radboud University, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands
    Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, 5037 AB Tilburg, The Netherlands)

  • Trude Furunes

    (Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, 5037 AB Tilburg, The Netherlands
    Norwegian School of Hotel Management, University of Stavanger, 4021 Stavanger, Norway
    Faculty of Psychology, Open University, 6419 AT Heerlen, The Netherlands)

  • Annet H. De Lange

    (Norwegian School of Hotel Management, University of Stavanger, 4021 Stavanger, Norway
    Faculty of Psychology, Open University, 6419 AT Heerlen, The Netherlands
    Faculty of Economy and Management, HAN University of Applied Sciences, 6500 JK Nijmegen, The Netherlands
    The Department of Psychology, Universidade de Coruna, 15701 A Coruna, Spain)

Abstract

Due to the aging workforce, older workers, especially in the healthcare industry, must remain employable. However, older healthcare workers may face age discrimination that can limit their employability chances. In this study, we examined (a) the causal direction of the relationship between age discrimination and internal employability and (b) differences between age groups (young (≤30), middle-aged (31–44), and older (≥45) healthcare workers) in this relationship. Based on the Selection Optimization Compensation theory, we postulated that (i,ii) internal employability and age discrimination are inversely negatively related to one another over time and that (ii–iv) this relationship would be strongest for older employees compared to other age groups. We conducted a two-wave complete panel study among 1478 healthcare professionals to test these hypotheses. The results of our multi-group structural equation modeling analyses suggested that internal employability is a significant negative predictor of age discrimination. Moreover, results suggested that internal employability and age discrimination have a reciprocal relationship among older workers but are unrelated for younger and middle-aged workers. Theoretical and practical implications of our results are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Karen Pak & Trude Furunes & Annet H. De Lange, 2022. "Age Discrimination and Employability in Healthcare Work: A Double-Edged Sword for Older Workers?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-13, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:9:p:5385-:d:805766
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Richard W. Johnson & David Neumark, 1997. "Age Discrimination, Job Separations, and Employment Status of Older Workers: Evidence from Self-Reports," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 32(4), pages 779-811.
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    4. Ruggs, Enrica N. & Hebl, Michelle R. & Law, Charlie & Cox, Cody B. & Roehling, Mark V. & Wiener, Richard L., 2013. "Gone Fishing: I–O Psychologists' Missed Opportunities to Understand Marginalized Employees' Experiences With Discrimination," Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Cambridge University Press, vol. 6(1), pages 39-60, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Annet H. De Lange & Dorien T. A. M. Kooij & Trude Furunes, 2022. "What about the Factor Time in Sustainable Employability Research? An Overview of Theory-Based Organizational Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-7, August.

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