The Role of Age and Institutions in Labour Market Integration and Disintegration

Abstract

Six Company Case Studies Age has an important role in determining the stability or vulnerability of an individual’s labour market position, especially among those younger than 25 or older than 55 years old. Moreover, the demographic trend of ageing coupled with traditional age-related company strategies lead to new challenges for the labour markets in the member states of the European Union. As a result, on the one hand, there is a growing demand for highly qualified young people while the lower-skilled face difficulties in entering the labour market. On the other hand, companies are not prepared for the integration and efficient employment of the continuously increasing number of mature aged employees. The research aimed to investigate the range of factors influencing the labour market integration and disintegration of young and older workers, and the nature of age-related company strategies leading to the differences in the age composition of workplaces. The paper evaluates the factors determining the age composition of workplaces based on six company case studies. The qualitative research has revealed that state incentives and subsidies do not impact considerably company actions related to age; organizational values embracing integrity, responsibility or cooperation are necessary, but not sufficient conditions of age diversity and inclusion; atypical work forms are rarely used to deliberately develop the employment prospects of younger or older workers, but are rather aimed to increase the familyfriendly nature of the workplace, whereas workplace diversity practices rather embrace other diversity fields, not age diversity. Furthermore, it has been shown that negative age stereotypes and perceptions of associated risks can influence the age composition of the workforce as well as the age-typed nature of jobs, the perception of the age composition, the uniqueness and learning required for jobs, and high or low commitment type of HR policies. Key words: social and labour market integration, age, age-related company strategies, age discrimination, worplace equality, age diversity, age-friendly HR policy