PROFESSIONAL AGING: PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICES OF AGE MANAGEMENT
Published date: 11/05/2017
Aging is one of the most significant phenomena of the twenty-first century. Although the demographic data emphasize the importance of aging in our country, the academic literature still has not addressed the topic in a comprehensive way. This study investigates the perceptions of Human Resources managers of companies in Brazil, concerning professionals aged over 50 years, and the age management practices adopted by their companies. Data were collected from 138 HR managers who were asked to fill out online questionnaire. Their responses were then statistically analyzed. The results showed that despite the rapid aging of the Brazilian population, the companies studied are not prepared for an aging workforce. Age management practices have been little adopted by the companies studied, although managers’ perceptions of older professionals are relatively positive. This article contributes to the area of HR by presenting a discussion of managers’ perceptions age management practices. These are topics that, although addressed internationally, have not yet been explored by national Brazilian academic authors. The study also aims to attract the interest of professionals in the area, to promote further reflection on the working conditions of conditions of older professionals.