Managers’ perceptions of older workers in the hotel and restaurant industry

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate how managers direct issues of an aging workforce, and whether this has implications for the hospitality industry. Further, managers’ experiences with managing age-mixed workforces are outlined. Implications of an aging workforce for the hospitality industry are also discussed. Qualitative data were gathered from 20 hospitality managers in Norwegian hotels and restaurants through employing interviews. A three-step analysis indicates that in organizations employing an age-mixed workforce, managers have more positive than negative experiences with balancing the workforce with younger and older workers. No age barriers were found in recruitment, but few managers plan to actively recruit older workers. Training programmes are not designed specially for older workers. Flexible working practices are difficult to organize in hospitality jobs. There are positive outcomes of creating age-balanced workforces in the hospitality industry, because younger and older workers complement each other. No overt negative attitudes towards seniors were expressed, and older managers seemed to be more positive towards older workers. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.