An Intergenerational Cooperation in the Organization - Science Direct

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ScienceDirect Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 235 (2016) 412 – 419

12th International Strategic Management Conference, ISMC 2016, 28-30 October 2016, Antalya, Turkey

An intergenerational cooperation in the organization - view from the age perspective Andrzej Skibiński a, Monika Sipa b, Iwona Gorzeń-Mitka c* abc

Czestochowa University of Technology, ul. Dąbrowskiego 69, Częstochowa 42-200, Poland

Abstract Conditions in which contemporary employee teams are created and operate undergo dynamic changes. This paper presents research in the field of intergenerational cooperation in Polish organisations in the context of the observed demographic trends, based on literature studies and research conducted by the authors. The main aim of this paper is to attempt to answer the question: Is the age of employees reflected in the approach to intergenerational cooperation in Polish organisations? Therefore, statistical analyses were carried out to verify the research hypotheses. The statistical analysis was based on authors' own pilot study on the age management in Polish small and medium-sized enterprises. The results of this research have approximate characteristics and refer only to the examined sample size. © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-reviewunder underresponsibility responsibility of the organizing committee of ISMC Peer-review of the organizing committee of ISMC 2016.2016. Keywords: the age differences, intergenerational cooperation, population ageing;

1. Introduction For more than ten years, the process of population ageing has been becoming a key issue in the EU member states, including Poland. Increasing life expectancy on the one hand and the decline in the number of births on the other are two phenomena that have had a significant impact on the increase in the number and proportion of older people in the total population. The consequence of these processes includes ageing of the labour force, which means, in a longer perspective, occurrence of labour shortages, particularly in the younger age groups. Thus, in the near

* Corresponding author. Tel.:+48 34 3250477. E-mail address: [email protected]

1877-0428 © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of ISMC 2016. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2016.11.051

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future the phenomenon of multi-generational workforce is expected to occure more often, including employees who have diverse values, motivations, lifestyles, communication styles and approaches to work. Each employee (regardless of age) brings a unique set of knowledge, skills, experience etc. to an organisation. The authors believe that the presence of representatives of different generations in an organisation can become an important source of success, including contributing to teamwork success, but that for this to happen, it must be seen as an opportunity rather than a threat, both by managers managing different types of teams, and by their members. Therefore, it is very important to understand and respect the generational differences existing between employees and to appropriately use the potential of each employee, regardless of age, experience or seniority. In this situation, company managers are forced to make decisions related to the adaptation of experienced, older workers to new conditions of work. This situation requires a new approach to human resources management. Adaptation of the company's strategy to future external conditions depends on the management's ability to think strategically. Polish managers are thus required to undertake a variety of activities related to age management. According to Naegele and Walker (2006), the age management is a component of human resources management or, more precisely, a component of diversity management. It consists in executing activities, which lead to a rational and efficient use of human resources at enterprises by considering the needs and abilities of people at different ages, as well as to increase the efficiency of work of older people. Hence the age management can encompass attitudes towards the older worker or the older worker’s attitudes to work and career. It can deal with learning and qualifications, interventiosns by the state (locally or nationally), seek to change the older worker’s situation in the labour market generally or address issues of health and work, job design and many others. Therefore, employers in Poland have less and less time to adapt existing management systems in a way which will enable them to recruit or retain workers from the older age groups. It is not without significance that with technical advances, many positions and professions have become far less physically demanding than they used to be, so this (physical) aspect is not so important nowadays. At the forefront now is the intellectual potential: experience and loyalty of older workers. Combining the potential of older workers, whose major assets include their knowledge and long-term experience, with the potential of their younger colleagues who are familiar with modern technologies and often have a passion for the most unique, unusual projects, becomes quite a challenge for employers. Taking into account the above, this paper examines whether the age of the firm's employees are reflected in the approach to intergenerational cooperation in the company. 2. Theoretical background and hypothesis The current demographic trends that change the relations between generations and consequentially influence various fields in the socio-economical, political and cultural life, dictate the need for stronger intergenerational ties and a reduction in age segregation. This was also pointed out by the experts from international organisations (United Nations, 2007; European Commission, 2005), who introduced the concept of a society for all ages. Thus, permanent demographic changes will have a significant impact on almost all dimensions of social life (Schmidt & Vosen, 2013). From the point of view of the dimensions of the process of population ageing, it is important, according to Chesnais (1990), to consider two fundamental issues; the growing number of older people and changes in the age structure of the population. The table 1 presents classifications of issues, to assist in understanding the consequences of demographic trends observed in the area of economics and intergenerational relations.

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Table 1. Expected consequences of an ageing population from the point of view of the economics and intergenerational relations. Area

Consequences of the growing number of older people young – old

Economics (the economy and the labour market)

Consequences associated with changes in the age structure of the population

old – old

- The growth of social stratification among seniors.

- Increased burden on the social security system - Shrinking labour resources. - Ageing of the labour force (age management, lifelong learning). - Slowdown of economic growth. - Change in the structure of consumption changes in the structure of employment. - Increase in social stratification.

- Growth in economic activity and entrepreneurship of people of the preretirement and retirement age.

- Increased burden on the state budget.

- Development of new forms of professional activity, Intergenerational relations

- Changes in the social perception of the elderly (ageism vs. increase in respect for elders).

- Social tensions demographic burden.

associated

with

- Increase in non-family forms of cooperation between different generations (at work, in public spaces, e.g. shared leisure time).

- Changes in the structure of families and cultural roles assigned to their members.

the

- Changes in intergenerational relations among the participants of the labour market.

Source: own study based on: Jaźwińska-Motylska et al. (2014). Społeczne konsekwencje starzenia się populacji ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem zmian relacji opiekuńczych. Ośrodek Badań nad Migracjami. Uniwersystet Warszawski. Studia i materiały No 3, p. 7

Given the observed demographic trends and their consequences, there is an urgent need to change the attitudes to older people and combat the harmful stereotype of this group as socially useless and a burden on the society. Good and comprehensive management of older workers not only increases the potential of older workers, but leads to its efficient utilisation. International researches (Magd, 2003; Reday-Mulvane, 2005; Mahlberg et al., 2013; Sarker, et al., 2015; Hafiz & Raeside, 2014) indicate that the workers of the immobile age group did not have a negative impact on productivity and, consequently, the effective operations of enterprises (depending on the specifics of the work). As indicated by Skibiński and Sipa (2015) the employees must be interested in expressing and exchanging information and in sharing their knowledge in order to achieve success. Every element of the activity of an enterprise should be subject to an effective management (Lemańska & Okręglicka, 2015). Organisations in which effective transfer of knowledge between employees occurs become more efficient and competitive in the market (Argote et. al., 2000; Gorzeń-Mitka & Wieczorek-Kosmala, 2015). According to Walker (1997)‘Good practice means ensuring that older workers have either equal or special access to the available jobs and that potential applicants are not discriminated against either directly or indirectly’. On the other hand, according to Tokarz – Krzemińska and Krzyżkowska (2012) the possibility of project development and management by people from different age groups favours the exchange of experiences and facilitates individual skills and aptitudes creatively complementing each other. By working closely, an older and a young person increase their awareness of the dynamics and characteristics of intergenerational relations. This cooperation model also works well when running activities that involve different age groups – an older leader better knows the needs and the environment of senior citizens, a young person can more accurately select range of activities and ways to reach young people. An older leader often reaches out to a younger person for assistance in

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activities that require the use of a computer, Internet access and other technical innovations. The ongoing processes of globalisation, developments in information technology and the socio – demographic changes mean that Polish companies will be in the near future forced to manage very diverse human resources, including young workers, the middle generation and a growing number of those in the immobile working age group (45 years old and above). Table 2. Challenges in the human resources management for employees of different age groups. Employee Group

Diversification of approaches to different age groups – modified work standards supported by adapted conditions and working time.

Multi-generational employees

Developing acceptance and understanding of the need for such an approach – debunking myths about inefficient operation of older workers. Emphasis on intergenerational cooperation – shared tasks, projects, teamwork

Source: Own study based on: Jamka B.,(2011). Czynnik ludzki we współczesnym przedsiębiorstwie: zasób czy kapitał?, Oficyna

a Wolters Kluwer business, p. 262.

It can be therefore inferred that a need to change the approach to learning processes will play an important role in the intergenerational cooperation in organisations. In the face of multi-generational character of the workplace, it should assume a bilateral form. Effective management of teams with a diverse age structure will require a leader to develop new skills, and perform new roles. First of all, striving for the accomplishment of team goals a leader should connect and integrate coexisting generations of workers, build an atmosphere of trust, and flexibly utilise their different ways of thinking and approaching work. The following research hypotheses were proposed with the main aim of the project in mind: H1 – perception of the problem of aging of human resources in a company depends on the age differences; H2 – perception of intergenerational cooperation in a company depends on the age differences; In this case, we proposed two complementary hypotheses: H2.1. – perception of intergenerational cooperation “older – younger” in the organisation depends on the age differences; H2.1. – perception of intergenerational cooperation “younger – older” in the organisation depends on the age differences; H3 – perception of intergenerational cooperation determinants depends on the age differences. In this case, we proposed five complementary hypotheses: H3.1. – perception of working atmosphere and the relationship between employees as an intergenerational cooperation determinant depends on the age differences; H3.2. – perception of reducing the marginalisation of 45+ and 50+ employees as an intergenerational cooperation determinant depends on the age differences; H3.3. – perception of improvement of the company's reputation as an intergenerational cooperation determinant depends on the age differences; H3.4. – perception of intergenerational cooperation as an impulse for innovative ideas depends on the age differences; H3.5. – perception of efficiency and productivity in a company as an intergenerational cooperation determinant depends on the age differences.

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3. Methodology of research 3.1. Research Goal The focal point of research is identification of differences in selected areas of intergenerational cooperation in SMEs companies from an age perspective. 3.2. Sample and data collection Identification of differences in selected areas of intergenerational cooperation in the organisation from an age perspective, was performed in enterprises in the Silesian and Malopolska provinces. The survey was conducted from March - April 2015 on a sample of 138 companies, using the diagnostic survey method based on the CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interviews) technique. The research sample of N=138 included employees in different age groups. The research sample was selected using the method of purposive (non-probability) sampling. The main premise for sampling was the fact that the respondents are employees at different productive ages and with different work experience and knowledge about the functioning of the enterprises in which they are employed. The researchers used a questionnaire consisting of 23 open, semi-open, and closed dichotomous questions, scales of responses (nominal, ratio, and rank scale), and demographics. The following table 3 illustrates the descriptive statistics of the study sample by age perspective. Table 3. Characteristic of the study sample by the age and gender perspective. %

FEATURES

male female male

male female 7.5% 15.7% 20.4%

female male female male female male female male female male female male female male female male female male female male female

12.9% 10.2% 5.7% 5.7% 14.6% 4.3% 1.5% 0 1.4% 25.7% 23.6% 14.3% 8.9% 12.9% 14.6% 5.7% 1.5% 15.7% 10.4% 25.7% 41.0%

Gender up to 25 years old 25–34 years old Age group

35–39 years old 40–44 years old 45–49 years old 50 or older less than 5 years

Employment period at the organisation

5–10 years more than 10 years senior management

Professional status at the organisation

junior management regular employee

Total (%) 52,2% 47,8% 23.2% 33.3% 15.9% 20.3% 5.8% 1.4% 49.3% 23.2% 27.5% 7.2% 26.1% 66.7%

Source: own study

3.3. Analyses and Results Analysis of the survey results has allowed for both a full and partial verification of the hypotheses. This paper examines the age behaviour by testing three main hypotheses related to the intergenerational cooperation in enterprises. This study refers to univariate analysis, rather than analysis of one variable at any one time. All numbers and percentages are produced with IBM SPSS 19. Kendall’s tau and Spearman’s (rho) rank correlation coefficient

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test (as measures of non-parametric rank correlations) is the analysis tool for testing our hypothesis. It was assumed that a probability value at the level of p