An Exploratory Examination of the Literature on Age and HRD Policy Development

Abstract

Older workers are a differentiated employee group with different workplace issues. A literature review was conducted to further develop the framework (the three traditional components of human research development [HRD]—training and development, career development, and organizational development—combined with the three working patterns of remaining, returning, and retiring). In each intersection, a question was raised to assist HRD practitioners evaluate organizational policy and practices concerning older worker issues. Using the scanning method, emergent trends and issues were identified through a content analysis of abstracts. This study suggests a new conceptualization of the workspace as a field of interacting forces in which the older workers' decisions to remain, return, retire, or renew the work contract is moderated by organizational decisions to retain, retrain, recruit, or redesign the work contract for older workers.