Transcript Training older employees: are they really so different? Veronique Warmoes – Shari De Baets Prof.

Training older employees: are they really so different?
Veronique Warmoes – Shari De Baets Prof. Dr. Herman van den Broeck – Prof. Dr. Ans de Vos – Veroniek de Schamphelaere –
Project
Research questions
Literature
Data collection:
Focus groups
Expert interviews
Results
2 | © Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
Research questions
Regarding education, what are the specific needs for older
employees?
Which are the suitable educational practices?
Which guidelines can we provide for trainers who educate
older learners?
3 | © Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
“My motivation for
taking part in training?”
“Staying up to date, being with
the times, and keeping young!
- participant focus group white collar workers
4 | © Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
| 00-00-0000 |
Sample presentation
Literature
1. Literature
Employment rate in Belgium of the older workforce:
35,3%
19,2% below the European average
Employment rate in Sweden of the older workforce:
70,1%
in part explained by the well-established lifelong learning
approach in the country (Rix, 2005)
6 | © Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
Data collection
2. Data
collection: qualitative approach
Focusgroups (Morgan, 1998; Bloor, 2001)
Card with different topics
All participants 45 years or older
According to language and position
Expert interview
Semi-structured interview
Experiences / past successes
8 | © Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
2. Data collection: cards
How do you pass on
the newly acquired
knowledge or skills to
your colleagues?
How does your
company encourage
trainings for older
employees?
Follow – up &
Differences
between 45 + and
younger
Do you think that a training
for older employees requires
a different approach than for
younger colleagues?
What kind of didactical Needs and
expectations
materials do you
prefer?
Do you prefer a
What topics do
training inside or
you like to learn
outside of the
about?
organisation?
What topics are
you obligated to
Didactical
follow?
Motivation and
knowledge
sharing
What aggravates
you in trainings?
What motivates
you for
participating in
trainings?
9 | © Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
aggravations
approach
Results
Differences between 45+ and younger
Experience
Recognized
Integrated in training
ICT
Insecure
But open to it (at an adapted pace)
Preference for mixed groups
Learning experience with new examples
Condition: trainer gives individual attention
Age-split: stigma!
There are other factors than age
11 | © Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
Differences
between
45+ and
younger
Age is just one factor amongst
many..
Is it a good thing to
keep stressing agerelated
differences?
It’s risky to ‘blame’ age for everything.
12 | © Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
Needs and expectations
Physical needs
limited
Cognitive needs
Noticeable difference with younger people
Fatigue
Appreciative of a slower pace
Expectations
Infrastructure
Capable trainer
13 | © Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
Needs and
expectations
Didactical approach
Very general principles
Hands-on
concise
Step by step
Experience learning
Powerpoint as an aid, not for reading out loud
Capable trainer
Reference work
14 | © Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
Didactical
approach
Motivations and aggravations
Motivations
Intrinsic
Managers: ‘Experienced employees are less
motivated; they think they’re already
all-knowing and capable,’
Social contact
Staying up to date
Job security (blue collar workers)
Aggravations
Unsuitable pace
Inadequate trainer
Obligated trainings
Inadequate content
Traffic and long distances
15 | © Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
Motivations
and
aggravations
Motivations and aggravations
Insecurities:
Having insufficient knowledge
Not being able to follow the pace
Asking questions
Role-play
New technology
16 | © Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
Motivations
and
aggravations
Follow-up and knowledge sharing
Knowledge sharing is appreciated
Follow-up and
knowledge
sharing
Formal ánd informal
Not too extensive
Depends on employer and sector
Fear for endangering own position in case of knowledge sharing (blue
collar and white collar workers)
17 | © Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
Analysis
Internal
factors
1
8
|
External
factors
© Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
• Experience
• Anxiety and insecurity
• Motivation
• Didactical approach
• Trainer requirements
Recommendations for trainers
Communication and training should be well-structured and
transparant
To help with insecurites and anxiety
Explain the reasoning behind theory, emphasize practical
relevance
To help with insecurities and anxiety
Experiential learning
To recognize their experience
1
9
|
Adequate communication and encouragement by
managers and peers
To increase their already-present intrinsic motivation
© Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
Future research
Does -45 prefer heterogenous groups too?
What actions can the government take?
Policies
Allowances
..
What actions can the companies take?
Educational Policies
Encouring trainings for older workers
..
20 | © Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the Federal government, for their financial support
to execute this research project.
21 | © Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School