Chapter 5: Results
5.4 Main Themes
5.4.3 Work culture and management
The data analysis showed that organisations with a positive work culture and supportive management are important in enabling the flourishing of older workers. The findings indicated that older workers thrive in positive workplace contexts and when supported and empowered by the management. These factors enabled the dynamic-grit mindset of the older workers. This section presents the data that highlights the importance of having a supportive workplace context to allow older workers to use their strengths to flourish. It demonstrates how positive workplace environments are advantageous to organisations that employ older workers.
5.4.3.1 Supportive work culture
Work contexts that enabled the flourishing of older workers in this study included family-like workplace settings. Industry Expert 6 described a work context that enabled the flourishing of older workers in the education and training industry:
I think having a family-like atmosphere could actually be something beneficial across the board. The older workers might appreciate it more than the younger workers but having a nurturing environment, a supportive workplace, that workers can learn and grow. It is beneficial for everyone., I would definitely like to see if we can put wellbeing at the heart of how we measure success.
Industry Expert 7 highlighted the potential benefits of having older workers at the forefront of positive workplace contexts and how it is important for organisations not to measure and view success purely in economic terms:
The older workers are the ones that ought to be leading the way and the younger ones just coming along for the ride. Where there is opportunity for them, and there is encouragement to say that they have a wealth of experience. To be able to create and be given the space within the organisation. This has to be predicated upon the culture of the organisation. To empower the systems and structures to grow for the more mature workers. It is not just how we perform, not only dollars and cents but also how we are creating meaning for everybody. It is how can we sustain our living environment, our resources, and unleash hidden potential in these workers.
Adult Educator 9 shared his observation of older workers during training:
They [older workers] prefer to work in groups, they prefer to work in teams.
Actually, the course is tailored in such a way that there are activities where they are working alone, sometimes working in pairs, or sometimes even working in groups. The workplaces are tailored towards people working alone, which is not realistic or conducive for older workers.
Employer 3 argued that HR policies need to set standards and establish appropriate contexts to allow older workers to thrive:
I have HR personnel attending my courses. I would encourage them to relook at their SOPs, in hiring selection, retention and work culture. A diverse group of workforce or strength in the company actually helps the company to be more productive. I think the reason why is because the older workers have the experiences that you could actually allow them to share their thoughts and ideas during the sharing sessions. Stories, success stories that can inspire and motivate the team. It is essential to create such a work culture.
She suggested the steps are needed to set up a positive culture and establish an appropriate context for work:
Why is the staff orientation important? It gets to get them to see the culture. It involves the management coming down to meet the people. Getting together for 2 to 3 hours, eating together, mingling around, getting to immerse them with you, getting the connection with you. I think that is an open-door policy whereby the management can tell them that if you have any issue, you can just come to see me.
In Singapore, it is a glass ceiling kind of policy whereby we have to go through the hierarchy, a very negative work culture. (Employer 3)
Employer 1 questioned the decision-making at his workplace regarding the hiring and onboarding process:
My question to HR is that do they want to keep the people that they are hiring or if the new staff do not fit, simply go and do hiring again. We all know that hiring process is a long and expensive process. I believe that coaching should be part of this process to close the gap. I personally feel that HR should also have a role for the other group of people who has been in the company to do a buddy system.
Another aspect I always try to introduce to them is actually what I termed the
‘work culture department’ because a lot of organisations does not have this department. In this time of a global pandemic, this is important and will create a very healthy work environment and with good employee engagement especially for older workers.
Industry Expert 1 suggested a positive work culture could be established by initiating volunteering and corporate social responsibility initiatives to transform the work culture:
Corporate volunteerism is one way of improving work culture and giving the workers an illusion of choice. People who volunteer are certainly helping out a group of people without having any expectations of themselves or pressure, the mindset changes. They now become more open to actually sharing. They’ll take the learning that they got from the volunteering working with the team and take it back to work. Because of this MERE effect. MERE effect is essentially unconscious learning, even when you don’t want to learn but you’re exposed to it for long enough, you’ll still remember and use it back at the workplace.
Employer 2 shared why he emphasises establishing a positive workplace culture and its importance for his organisation:
The culture and community at the workplace are very critical. As the management, I had to mingle with them you know and you had to eat together with them, you know sit with them, do the work together with them. All these are part and parcel of learning, you don’t learn this from school or college or university. By doing this, I was able to establish a supportive workplace culture.
He further explained how his organisation exercises care in its recruitment processes:
For example, a cleaner comes in for an interview, we will assess them using our capability matrix. For example, what skillsets you have to have, what training you have undergone, what was your background, why you left the job. This will allow me to put them in a job that fits their abilities and experience well. Once you are happy in what you are doing, you will go far. This is why when I interview any of my staff, I remind them don’t come here for just for pay, you must come here for happiness. When you are happy, you perform very well. And you make your employer happy and your customers happy. (Employer 2)
Meanwhile, Industry Expert 2 described the system he set up to support older workers during their initial months with the organisation:
You need to do a buddy system with them, find out if they are coping with work and feeling comfortable. This is the first critical thing we need to ensure when workers come on board. The workplace culture is a very important fundamental.
We don’t treat people as digit but we treat people as assets so that they can see the real value coming from them.
Older Worker 10 defined the work culture that allowed her to thrive and enjoy her job:
I enjoy working there and everyone there was just so fun to work with, it was just a whole different environment compared to my previous job. Everyone as part of a team. We bonded. We became family. Really very different from your fashion industry. It became work is home and not going back home itself. I will spend days and days just staying there. Everyone is passionate; the people that we work with. We all preserved as a family, go through challenges and solve problems.
Even the manager himself, he would come out and mingle with us and do all the things that we do to.
Industry Expert 4 explained how to create a supportive work culture and counter discrimination against older workers:
It is important in this pandemic period for a company to embrace older workers.
We always believe that you should not discriminate any worker on the basis of age. If you see the worker has good potential, then you must give the worker the opportunity. It requires a lot of adjustment, on both sides, on the part of the millennial generation, younger workers you have to see the uh older workers in having the experience that you can learn from them, then on the part of the older workers, you need to understand the psyche of your younger colleagues. The management, likewise, also need to create an environment, conducive for older workers to work in. One way is to use appreciative inquiry to get people to change their attitude.
Lastly, Industry Expert 7 suggested that appreciative inquiry could be applied as a transformative tool to change the work culture:
The idea is that in the process of building a shared vision for the organisation, we should use appreciative inquiry. To be able to get the stories, to be able to engage and every older worker n in the organisation. Moving from the best of the past, high point story, and then building on to the strengths of individuals, the treasures of the organisation. Explore the work culture they want to conserve and using this to move forward. To create an appreciative work culture.
The data presented in this section indicated that setting a positive work culture would enable older workers to flourish. The findings showed that despite older workers being able to mitigate challenges caused by systemic inequities due to their dynamic-grit mindset, having a positive work culture would enable older workers to use their strengths and flourish.
5.4.3.2 Management styles
This section presents data that demonstrates how supportive management enables the dynamic-grit mindset in older workers. It highlights the importance of establishing the right conditions to support older workers and provide opportunities to flourish. With a positive work culture and supportive management, older workers can become assets to their organisations.
Industry Expert 4 suggested that managers must provide feedback to build a positive work culture:
Feedback has to be given in a certain way that builds a resilient mindset. It has to motivate the older workers not make them feel irrelevant or simply dismiss all their experience. The language used and the manner the management does this is crucial. The feedback has to be seen as a positive instrument to support, not a way to mark workers down.
Older Worker 1 described his positive workplace environment where he flourishes:
Working there is quite happy and all are the crew staff, very helpful and will not say we are new, they bully us, last time I work, the management like to bully the new guys. We work like a family, all family members. Very supportive management and friends. I can work very well and feel healthy.
Employer 1 described the type of work environment older workers thrive in:
Elderly people sometimes they need to, how to say, they need to take care of their partners, their husbands or their wives, they need more time. They are only able to work for six hours per day. The management ought to be flexible and support them. For each one week, provide two days off, flexible hours and supportive management. I think this system will encourage them into staying with the company longer.
Employer 2 revealed his management philosophy that creates a work environment to allow the older workers to flourish:
The other first thing I launched was the three ‘R’s system. It is the first in this business, first you need to ‘respect’ the people who are working with you, your, working under you, working above you, working together with you. The second
‘R’ stands for recognise what they are contributing to the organisation. The third
‘R’ stands for reward. I told them these are the three important things I would like to have we are equally we are all, you are also a human being, I am a human being. This must be driven down to my team. I know it is a small thing but it matters a lot to the older workers on the ground.
Further, he tries to lead by example to create a supportive workplace culture and demonstrates support for his staff:
In one of the facilities, the client called me and told me that there is an act of honestly by one of the cleaners, and “I think you must be very proud of it”. I personally went down early in the morning, and issued a certificate to her.
Although this is something I could have delegated to my HR to do, but as a CEO early in the morning, I do it myself, then they would know that I really care for my workers. To tell them that they are a part of the family. (Employer 2)
Older Worker 3 considers trust from her employer as motivation to help her flourish at work:
They go with me and trust me to solve problems and handle the tourists well. But they are not comfortable employing a new one. They want the seniors to manage the big-ticket events because seniors can handle any problem. Their trust makes me want to do even better.
Similarly, Older Worker 20 revealed how feedback, trust and support from the management helped her flourish at work:
The management, and supervisors are cornerstones. They always try to help you do better and not there to punish. It is to make the work environment safe. Not scolding or suspend you. At least they know that I am working, they support and trust me. When they see I took feedback, they are happy and even entrust me with more roles. Very helpful for older workers like me.
Employer 1 (also in Focus Group Session 6) agreed with him and added that ‘a step-by-step approach will make them comfortable. This makes them feel at home. We create a safe environment for them to learn and use their experience’.
To maintain interest and motivate older workers, many of whom are rank and file workers in his organisation, Employer 2 suggested using a job rotation strategy:
One strategy is to use job rotation in different cleaning roles so that the worker is exposed to all kind of environment and acquire new skillsets. This will not make them feel that their work is monotonous. We believe in job rotation, job uh upskilling, reskilling, re-deepening the knowledge base. It’s helpful for them to learn the skillset, for example using apps on their phone, For example if they can use this to help them with their work, monitor their health and to update the management. This helps the management monitor the workers and also their security and safety. It will enhance our productivity and capabilities as an organisation.
Older Worker 18 explained that the management was critical in ensuring that the staff’s values align with the organisation and their role in creating a conducive environment for flourishing by providing opportunities and recognising effort:
Basically, I love the organisation, I serve so many years and even at this period we should like work together, stand together and support the company. I started as a temporary staff but the manager saw my potential and asked me to become a full-time staff. He gave me opportunities and encouraged me to do well. His belief and support made me thrive in my department.
Older Worker 14 reflected on how a supportive manager and cohesive work culture enabled him to flourish at work and made him feel like a valued member of the team:
It was quite a cultural shock for me. It was not an English-speaking environment;
it was Chinese speaking. And that got a bit of getting used to because when I work for a multinational company, we were all English speaking. I was the first non- Chinese in that group, yet they were conscious to this fact. They made sure everyone spoke English, the camaraderie, the fact that I had a boss who was backing me up all the way, even without questioning how I arrived at my decisions. The supportive work culture and the team was respectful because of my age. They made me feel valued as a part of a team.
The data presented in this section demonstrated that positive work cultures and supportive management are vital in enabling the dynamic-grit mindset of older workers and positively influencing their flourishing. The data indicated that a positive work culture that considers older workers’ strengths and where the staff work closely in ‘family-like teams’
helps them thrive. In addition, supportive management is imperative to create this ‘family- like’ work culture and provide appropriate support to older workers to help them do well at work and experience longevity in their professions.
Section 5.4 described various forms of ageism that led to systemic inequities within the workforce and their detrimental effects on older workers. It demonstrated that in a workforce driven by economic practicality and demands, the older workers in this study flourish due to their dynamic-grit mindset. This section presented the different components of the dynamic-grit mindset consisting of grit and five factors from Huppert and So’s (2011) theory of flourishing. It explained how older workers’ problem-solving skills and emotional intelligence were vital in facilitating their dynamic-grit mindset. This section described the desired work contexts where a positive work culture and supportive management help older workers flourish and become assets to their organisations.