Technological change and the older employee: implications for introduction and training

Abstract

How do older employees cope with technological change at their place of work? To answer this question, an exploratory study was conducted in which interviews were held with 34 older employees in the office, 23 supervisors, personnel managers and representatives of workers, and seven computer trainers. The older employees were classified into three groups depending on their dominant form of appraisal of computers: threat/challenge/irrelevant. While participants who experienced computers as a challenge favoured information-seeking activities, older staff members who felt threatened by computers reacted rather passively and often complained about increasing time-pressure and health-related problems. In contrast, members of the group which appraised computers as irrelevant were quite satisfied with their work and consequently reported hardly any coping behaviour. A further analysis showed that organizational factors were closely connected with the dominant form of appraisal. Therefore recommendations are given concerning the introductory phase of technological change and qualificational measures.