The Role of Organizational Ageism, Inter-Age Contact, and Organizational Values in the Formation of Workplace Age-Friendliness: A Multilevel Cross-Organizational Study

This study adopts the multidimensional concept of workplace age-friendliness as reflecting the extent to which organizations maintain age-related organizational values, policies, practices, and climates that support the employability needs of older workers. Using responses from 1,893 employees working in 32 organizations from seven economic sectors in Israel who evaluated their organizations, we examine a novel conceptual model of the joint role of organizational ageism, inter-age contact, and organizational values in the formation of workplace age-friendliness. Multilevel multivariate analysis using a general linear mixed model demonstrated differential involvement of these variables in the formation of workplace age-friendliness: A significant negative association was found between organizational ageism and all dimensions of workplace age-friendliness, while inter-age contact was found to have a positive albeit a moderate association with part of its dimensions. Of the types of organizational cultures examined, a significant positive linkage was found between clan culture and all dimensions of workplace age-friendliness, whereas its associations with other cultural environments were less prominent or comprehensive. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings discussed here may serve policymakers and enrich both age-related organizational research and approaches with an evolving positive organizational perspective towards work in older age.