July 11, 2012

While life generally proves that it is more difficult to get a job after the age of 50, a new Israeli-French study suggests that future employers are overlooking the cream of the workforce.

Age and experience have a significant impact, say Dr. Shmuel Grimland and Prof. Eran Vigoda- Gadot of the University of Haifa and Prof. Yehuda Baruch of the Rouen Business School in France.

The research team found that the highest level of vitality and motivation was between the ages of 50 and 59, with 57 as the most vital individual age.

“Our research shows that giving employees tools to improve their vitality at work will significantly raise their satisfaction and help create creativity and innovation among them. These should be a high priority for organizations and companies,” the researchers said.

The team queried 545 company managers from both the private and public sectors, in the fields of high-tech, engineering and infrastructure. The managers came from all levels, from the bottom to the most senior.
The study found that as vitality in work rises, so does an individual’s ability to use personal resources to succeed and their devotion to the institution.

There was also a positive link between professional vitality and career satisfaction on the one hand and life in general on the other, according to the study. The more professional vitality the employee has, the less he is willing to leave the workplace.

“One could say that vitality at work is preserved as people work, and even rises through their late 50s – serving as fuel for the success of the whole organization. It shows that organizations that invest in this will benefit from workers with high levels of productivity over many years,” the study concluded.