Double Edge Diversity In The Workplace

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Introduction
Over the years, workforce diversity has become one of the many strategic capabilities which will largely add value to organizations (Darwin & Chinnathambi, 2015). Demographic shifts, especially, are modifying job markets to a large extent - the rapid evolution of an aging workforce in developed countries has given rise to age diversity management, which undoubtedly, is a key challenge in human resource management (HRM). The aim of this report is therefore to analyze relevant peer-reviewed journals and other related literature to assess the practical and universal skills, as well as proficiencies needed of the present-day HRM professional, with the presence of such issues.
Literature Review
Article 1
Evaluation: A study was conducted …show more content…

Findings show that while it largely depends on the workforce’ age structure as well as the kind of intended innovation; there is a negative effect of the aging workforce on the latter.
The article assumes that older people have declining cognitive skills as well as motivation to further develop themselves, thus they are less innovative. However, Brief (2008) argues that they may also be innovative given the right opportunities. The implications of this article though, highlights their importance to HR practitioners, and how they could still help in exploitative innovation in terms of implementation, and how they can still help the younger workforce during exploration with prior experience, despite them being less likely to participate in things like risk taking.
It also looks into another aspect of the competency of a HR practitioner – the transferring of knowledge. However, more research could be conducted to elaborate more on how it can be done to develop and identify HR skills.
Article …show more content…

This paper takes a marginally different, all-inclusive methodology and studies also those that may not get to the career levels as intended and do not have access to the exact opportunities in terms of early retirement as part of the implications of ageing, and suggests how they can also be motivated. It mirrors that HR practitioners should not only concentrate on those that are literally “aging” but also the ones that are directly or indirectly impacted by these, like the middle age cohorts.
However, a major bulk of this paper focuses on demographic trends, leaving minimal on their effects, and more could have further elaborated on how HR practitioners could help hone their skills rather than a mere discussion on the importance and relationship of the various skills with increasing age.
Article 9
Evaluation: The roles of learning and training for older workers is discussed in this article, which provides a diverse view of employers on what were the opportunities proposed to them and how their experiences can be better

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