I was recently reading an article entitles "Elderly Workers" in the Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety (4th edition), that got me thinking about an issue that I suspect is commonplace.
Training
requirements may be different for older workers.
Since learning is based on previous experience, training may need to be more "practically" based. New skills need to be explained in a way that fits into what they already know. Justification and the logic behind the information -- why you're doing what you're doing -- are more important. Training may take longer than with younger workers. There may also be a need for more assistance or practice. However, several studies show that there may not be a difference in how well someone works once the learning curve has been reached.
Everyone,
at every age, thinks and learns differently.
These cognitive functions
-- how someone learns and thinks -- are very dependent on the
individual, and the experiences they have had during their lifetime.
People who have had a lot of training or education over their lifetime,
or who have had to carry out a variety of tasks, are experienced
learners. They are typically able to learn new skills well and improve
the ones they have with ease. People who may be more resistant to
learning as an older adult include those who have little formal
training or who have carried out relatively simple or repetitive tasks
for many years. They are used to doing the same thing, the same way,
and may find it hard to take in new information or ways of doing
things.
So I ask, how does YOUR personal experience with training older people in the workplace abide with this perspective?
