Older workers tend to perceive organisational change more negatively than younger colleagues, which may be reflected in their higher anxiety levels, according to a study of Spanish employees. Redundancies contributed significantly to the burnout and depression levels of the 89 employees in the study, although the effect of organisational change on older managers was less than for non-managerial staff. The support of colleagues only mitigated the impact of redundancies on the wellbeing of younger workers, the study finds.
Vedina R, Dolan SL. “Elder employees’ wellbeing following organisational restructuring: testing the direct and moderating effects among Spanish workers”, Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health, first published online 2 May 2014.