Staffing practices and employee performance: the role of age

Abstract

Purpose: Staffing is the tool that employers use to decrease information asymmetry when hiring employees. However, how its effectiveness evolves according to employee demographic characteristics, is under-researched. In this paper, we develop and test a model linking staffing practices, age and employee performance. Design/methodology/approach: Using a stratified sample of 1254 employees we hypothesize (i) main effects of staffing practices on employee performance, (ii) main effects of age on employee performance and (iii) moderating effects of age on the relationship between staffing practices and employee performance. Findings: The results show significant positive effects of staffing and age on employee performance and a negative moderation effect of age on the above relationship. Practical implications: The organizations are urged to invest in recruitment and selection practices and implement focused practices that appeal to an ageing workforce. Originality/value: The paper is the first to explore the topic of ageing workforce and the efficiency of staffing practices on employee performance in the context of Greece. We discuss the results, theoretical contributions, practical implications and future research directions under the light of the ageing workforce management challenge.