Managing age diversity for customer service success in sports organisations

Global demographic shifts give rise to an aging workforce, yet social barriers hinder employment and effective management of older workers. Sports organisations in particular would benefit from age diversity and inclusive cultures, as older workers who identify with organisational values are well-suited for interacting successfully with customers. From a survey of front-line service employees in five US Major League Baseball (MLB) clubs, we found significant relationships found between aging, organisational identification, and customer service. We offer explanations why older employees choose to work for sports organisations and discuss ideas for building cultural diversity and customer relationships through a mixed-age workforce.