The American Workforce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The American Workforce - Essay Example The purpose of the study is to examine the correlation between age and job satisfaction among social workers in the Plainfield, Illinois School District 202.   Te correlation between age and job satisfaction shall be analysed in relation to a number of independent variables such as gender and ethnicity.     Notwithstanding the primary focus on age, other determinants of job satisfaction, such as pay, fringe benefits promotion opportunities and workload shall be looked at. The dissertation shall focus on the effect of age on job satisfaction among Illinois social workers, for determination of whether or not there exists a correlation between age and job satisfaction levels.   For the purposes of the proposed study, the research question is, â€Å"is there a correlation between job satisfaction and age among Illinois social workers, and does either gender or ethnicity interact with age to influence job satisfaction levels?†   The hypothesis for this study is, â€Å"there is no correlation between age and job satisfaction among social workers consequent to the fact that are no perceptible ageist practices in this particular work environment and, indeed, there is a marked tendency towards the greater appreciation of older social workers as age denotes experience.†Ã‚  The proposed study seeks the determination of whether or not there exists a correlation between age and social worker job satisfaction levels.   This is, in itself, a sign ificant aim for two reasons.  ... Despite a general recognition of the negative consequences of ageism, age discrimination is a risking problem in the American workplace. Mitchell (1993), Matcha (1997), Sicker (2002) and Smedley and Whitten (2006) concede that a wide array of societal factors incite ageism/age discrimination but the most important are the economic factors, especially those which hold that older workers are less productive and more costly to retain. In light of statistics forwarded by Dytchwald, Eriksson and Morrison (2006), the practice of ageism, as which would lead to a decrease in job satisfaction levels, hence motivation, is highly problematic. Figures for 2005 indicate that the older workforce has increased by 6.4 million over the past decade, two million individuals aged 50-74 are able to work and are seeking employment and that the number of men over the age of 50 who have decided to remain in the workforce has increased by 34% over the past decade (Dytchwald, Eriksson and Morrison, 2006). Apa rt from establishing the extent to which the American workforce has aged, the cited statistics are expressive of the magnitude of the problem which the economy faces should age be correlated to job satisfaction, on the one hand and should employees and co-workers exercise ageist practices as would negatively impact job satisfaction levels, on the other. Proceeding from within the framework of the above-stated, insofar as ageism is a predominant practice in the American workplace, and to the extent that the practice of ageism reduced job satisfaction levels, the consequences of both of the aforementioned shall be examined in relation to social workers (Goldberg, 2002). Purpose of the Study The purpose of the study is to examine the correlation between age and job