Study goals
Through an integrative literature review, the study aims to systematize the factors that hinder the inclusion of older workers in recruitment and selection processes, identifying recurring barriers and mitigation strategies aligned with organizational sustainability and the challenges of an aging population.
Relevance / originality
The paper bridges a theoretical gap on age diversity. By highlighting the strategic and social relevance of inclusion based on age, it contributes for identifying organizational practices that promote innovation, social justice, social security sustainability, equity, inclusive organizational culture, and competitiveness.
Methodology / approach
An integrative review was conducted based on the PRISMA protocol and the PCC strategy. After a systematic screening of 386 studies across five databases, 40 articles were included following inclusion and exclusion criteria and analysed employing thematic analysis.
Main results
Barriers to inclusion appear across interrelated dimensions: psychosocial, organizational, and institutional. Age-related stereotypes, discriminatory practices and legal loopholes reinforce inequalities from the early stages of recruitment, intensified by digital technologies. Overcoming these challenges requires changes at the individual, organizational, and societal levels.
Theoretical / methodological contributions
Consolidates a theoretical overview of ageism in recruitment processes and proposes strategies grounded in the literature. It highlights the importance of integrated explanatory models and position-specific analyses, aiming to provide a foundation for effective, strategically oriented, and contextually adapted organizational interventions.
Social / management contributions
The inclusion of long-serving (older) workers is presented as a competitive and socially fair strategy, strengthening organizational image, enhancing the utilization of experienced talent and promoting a balance between organizational performance, equity, and sustainability in response to pension-related pressures.