Perception towards engaging aged employees in public sector organizations as an alternative workforce

Abstract

Extending the working life is an objective of ahnost every po]icymak:er's agenda to confront the skilled ~ shortage in a country. fajority of states have benefitted by altering the ma:ndautory retirement age of employees, considermg ilie increase in lffe expectancy and privlleged health condition of ilie aged population th.an in the past. Therefore, it is worth to implement this strntegy in Sr~ Lanka as a solution for the shortage of skiUed ~market in many sectors. However, t.o initiate this strategy in Sri Lanka, there is: a requirement of engagement in manry organizational parties:. As a result, the ability t.o engage aged employees to the public sector was mvestigated in th is study. The current employment status of aged employees in the public sector was identified :from the prefonina:ry investigation of this study. Data were coHected through interviews from 81 public sector organizations and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Positive, negative, and strategic insights to public sector due to engaging aged emp]oyees were investigated according to Managers, perception during phase 1 of the detailed in ·estigartion of this: study. Perceptions of aged employees: on retiring or retain on work were also identified in phase 2 of the detailed investigation. Quantitative and qualitative data collected from interv~ews and questionnaires of the in-depth study 'Were analyzed us~ng both descriptive statistics and thematic analysis, respecfvdy. The scope of the study was limited to public sector organizations, and ~ district was sdected as a case. Results of this study revealed that managerial-level employees in the public sector have less awareness regardmg the issue of population aging. Besides, they stress the need for appropriate job designs and trafillllg programs to enhance the employabil~ty of aged employees:. However, the overall results of this: study dis.dosed that engaging aged employees is beneficial for public sector organizatruons, and aged employees can b e considered as an acceptable alternative for skin shortage in the ~ market.