Managing the ageing workforce: 'Getting On'

This chapter outlines the main aspects of age diversity in Australia, including legislation, generational change, problems associated with multigenerational workforces and how these are being addressed in some organisations. Differences and similarities between generations, real and perceived, have emerged as challenges for management, and human resource management (HRM) in particular, leading to attempts to design policies and practices which 'mix' generations via integration or separation within employment. It is argued that attempts to improve performance through cooperation, including between generations, are weakened by the inability of management ideas and practices in different industry and organisational contexts to develop inclusive generational policies, a situation which is likely to be exacerbated during recessionary times.