The International Journal of Human Resource Management

Overlooked No More: Managing Talent of Older Workers

Rationale and objectives of the Special Issue

Aging population is a “major global trend reshaping societies worldwide” (United Nations, 2024). The proportion of people aged 65+ is expected to double from 12% in 2015 to 22% by 2050 (United Nations, 2024). This shift concerns governments, organizations, and society. From a talent management perspective, the shortage of skilled labor heightens the importance of older workers (Calo, 2008; Tarique & Schuler, 2010). They are experienced professionals with advanced KSAs who bring strategic insight, leadership, and mentoring potential. Yet many employers remain unprepared for an age-diverse workforce (Kim & Kang, 2017; De Meulenaere & Kunze, 2021; Brady et al., 2025), creating challenges in attracting, developing, and retaining these professionals.

This demographic shift spans national and regional boundaries. Countries across Asia, Europe, North and Latin America face complex challenges and opportunities. This SI seeks multinational research to understand the trend through cultural, institutional, and policy perspectives.

This SI defines talent management as “a series of HRM activities and processes that involve the systematic attraction, identification, development, engagement, retention, and deployment of talent that adds value in creating strategic and sustainable organizational success” (Kaliannan et al., 2023, p. 2). It aims to explore how organizations can attract, develop, and retain talented older workers, recognizing their role in knowledge transfer, innovation, and resilience. It seeks to advance theories by examining their application to older workers and interactions with younger groups.

Potential Theoretical and Practical Contributions

Talent management scholarship has focused mainly on younger candidates (Lewis & Heckman, 2006; Collings & Mellahi, 2009; Muratbekova-Touron et al., 2018), overlooking older workers. A key limitation is their exclusion from strategic roles and leadership. Addressing this gap requires integrating older professionals and creating targeted strategies that leverage their expertise, fostering inclusive and age-diverse approaches.

Research highlights persistent barriers. Employers value but undervalue older workers (Billett et al., 2011). Younger decision-makers label employees “old” earlier (McCarthy et al., 2014). Managerial attitudes differ across cultures (Rego et al., 2016, 2020). Age-related abuse harms performance (Amarnani et al., 2019), and stereotype threat undermines abilities (Brady et al., 2024). Despite stereotypes being debunked (Posthuma & Campion, 2009), discrimination persists (North, 2019). Institutional contexts, such as the French case, also shape inclusion (Gendron, 2011). These findings show the urgent need for inclusive talent management.

The focus must shift from not overlooking older talent to targeting them with tailored initiatives. Finsel et al. (2021) introduced a multi-level framework. At micro level, retention links to work ability and perceptions (Vignoli et al., 2019), and creativity remains possible (Yan et al., 2025). At organizational level, social connections in training boost engagement (Jokisaari et al., 2024), while rewards work differently (Kollmann et al., 2019). Pre- and post-retirement planning are rising concerns (Caines et al., 2025). An age-conscious perspective refines theories and supports experienced professionals in an aging workforce.

Themes

 We welcome qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method studies, as well as conceptual or review papers, especially those that highlight international diversity, cross-cultural differences, or multinational comparisons in talent management for older workers. Contributions from both Global North and Global South contexts are strongly encouraged to ensure a comprehensive and

inclusive understanding of this global issue. Possible submissions may explore (but are not limited to) the following themes and topics:

 Theme 1: Talent management strategies for an age-inclusive workforce

• Barriers to Leveraging the Full Potential of Older Talent
• Impact of Age-Based Stereotypes on Talent Acquisition and Leadership Development
• Heuristics in Talent Assessment of Older Workers and Their Implications for Retention
• Effective Talent Management Strategies to Counter Age Discrimination
• Inclusion of Older Employees in Leadership Development and High-Potential Programs
• Mechanisms Sustaining Age Bias in Talent Evaluations and Paths to Disruption
• The Influence of Age Diversity on Team Dynamics, Innovation, and Organizational Learning
• The Role of Talent Analytics in Enhancing Age-Inclusive Hiring and Retention
• Effects of Leadership Style and Managerial Support on Older Workers’ Engagement
• Industry-Specific Approaches to Age-Inclusive Talent Management

 Theme 2: Tailored talent attraction, development, and retention strategies

• Differences in Work Values, Needs, and Career Aspirations Across the Lifespan
• Tailoring Employer Branding and Recruitment Strategies to Attract Skilled Older Professionals
• Optimal Training, Reskilling, and Upskilling Approaches for Older Workers
• Enhancing Organizational Learning Through Knowledge Transfer and Mentorship between Age Groups
• Effective Flexible Work Arrangements to Sustain Engagement Among Older Talent
• Strategic Management of Pre-Retirement and Post-Retirement Workforce Transitions
• Integrating Talented Older Employees into Digital Transformation Efforts
• Fostering Intergenerational Collaboration to Drive Innovation and Performance
• Adapting to Evolving Work-Life Balance Expectations Across Age Groups
• Impact of Remote and Hybrid Work on Older Professionals’ Engagement and Retention

This SI encourages research that advances theoretical and practical insights into talent management for an aging workforce, offering evidence-based recommendations for countries, regions, and/or organizations striving to attract, develop, and retain highly skilled older professionals in today’s workplace.

Scope of Focus

As the concept of a “talented older worker” may be perceived as somewhat vague, it is essential to clearly define what is meant by “older” and “talented”. Specifically, it is important to establish when “old” begins – whether it is based on biological age, legal retirement age as determined by national legislation, or a broader social construct. However, please try to avoid generational categorizations (e.g., Gen Z, Gen Y, etc.) in your submissions.

Similarly, although we have outlined the scope regarding what constitutes a “talented” older worker – namely, individuals who possess a high level of domain-specific knowledge, well-developed skills, and advanced abilities – we encourage further clarification in research studies. Specifically, it should be specified whether talent is understood as a set of characteristics (e.g., knowledge, skills, and abilities) or as an individual (e.g., a top performer and/or high-potential employee). Additionally, consideration should be given to whether talent is linked to key positions, referring to individuals who currently occupy or are expected to occupy critical roles within an organization (Collings & Mellahi, 2009; Pagan-Castano et al., 2020).