---
_id: '66108'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: Due to demographic changes and their impact on the labor market, attracting
and retaining older employees plays a decisive role in organizations’ ability
to maintain their workforce. This requires organizations to publicly display a
work environment that fits the particular preferences of this target group. Drawing
on lifespan theories, we examine how the link between employee preferences and
employees’ likelihood of recommending their employer to others varies by age.
To address the lack of integration between the literatures on workforce aging
and employer branding, we take an empirical approach analyzing 292,429 numeric
and unedited text-based employee reviews from an employer rating platform. Our
findings reveal that relationship-building, fair and appreciative supervisor behavior,
positive interactions with older colleagues, and location-flexible, efficient
working conditions play pivotal roles in shaping older employees’ likelihood of
recommending their employer. Although these age-related interaction effects are
significant, they remain small, suggesting broadly compatible preferences between
older and younger employees. We also demonstrate that these findings are robust
across gender and different income groups. Finally, we provide tangible recommendations
for the incorporation of lifespan theories in the employer branding context and
highlight the value of using platform data for future research.
author:
- first_name: Ann Sophie
full_name: Lauterbach, Ann Sophie
last_name: Lauterbach
- first_name: Katharina
full_name: Radermacher, Katharina
id: '47691'
last_name: Radermacher
citation:
ama: 'Lauterbach AS, Radermacher K. Are the differences not that different? Exploring
an age perspective on employee preferences using an employer review platform.
German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift für Personalforschung.
2025;40(1):87-118. doi:10.1177/23970022251337642'
apa: 'Lauterbach, A. S., & Radermacher, K. (2025). Are the differences not that
different? Exploring an age perspective on employee preferences using an employer
review platform. German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift Für
Personalforschung, 40(1), 87–118. https://doi.org/10.1177/23970022251337642'
bibtex: '@article{Lauterbach_Radermacher_2025, title={Are the differences not that
different? Exploring an age perspective on employee preferences using an employer
review platform}, volume={40}, DOI={10.1177/23970022251337642},
number={1}, journal={German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift
für Personalforschung}, publisher={SAGE Publications}, author={Lauterbach, Ann
Sophie and Radermacher, Katharina}, year={2025}, pages={87–118} }'
chicago: 'Lauterbach, Ann Sophie, and Katharina Radermacher. “Are the Differences
Not That Different? Exploring an Age Perspective on Employee Preferences Using
an Employer Review Platform.” German Journal of Human Resource Management:
Zeitschrift Für Personalforschung 40, no. 1 (2025): 87–118. https://doi.org/10.1177/23970022251337642.'
ieee: 'A. S. Lauterbach and K. Radermacher, “Are the differences not that different?
Exploring an age perspective on employee preferences using an employer review
platform,” German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift für Personalforschung,
vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 87–118, 2025, doi: 10.1177/23970022251337642.'
mla: 'Lauterbach, Ann Sophie, and Katharina Radermacher. “Are the Differences Not
That Different? Exploring an Age Perspective on Employee Preferences Using an
Employer Review Platform.” German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift
Für Personalforschung, vol. 40, no. 1, SAGE Publications, 2025, pp. 87–118,
doi:10.1177/23970022251337642.'
short: 'A.S. Lauterbach, K. Radermacher, German Journal of Human Resource Management:
Zeitschrift Für Personalforschung 40 (2025) 87–118.'
date_created: 2026-07-02T09:27:13Z
date_updated: 2026-07-02T09:49:54Z
department:
- _id: '19'
doi: 10.1177/23970022251337642
intvolume: ' 40'
issue: '1'
language:
- iso: eng
page: 87-118
publication: 'German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift für Personalforschung'
publication_identifier:
issn:
- 2397-0022
- 2397-0030
publication_status: published
publisher: SAGE Publications
status: public
title: Are the differences not that different? Exploring an age perspective on employee
preferences using an employer review platform
type: journal_article
user_id: '54657'
volume: 40
year: '2025'
...
---
_id: '19419'
author:
- first_name: Marion
full_name: Festing, Marion
last_name: Festing
- first_name: Anja
full_name: Iseke, Anja
last_name: Iseke
- first_name: Rüdiger
full_name: Kabst, Rüdiger
last_name: Kabst
- first_name: Albert
full_name: Martin, Albert
last_name: Martin
- first_name: Wenzel
full_name: Matiaske, Wenzel
last_name: Matiaske
- first_name: Wolfgang
full_name: Mayrhofer, Wolfgang
last_name: Mayrhofer
- first_name: Werner
full_name: Nienhüser, Werner
last_name: Nienhüser
citation:
ama: 'Festing M, Iseke A, Kabst R, et al. Wolfgang Weber (1939–2019) Professor of
Human Resource Management and Founding Editor of the German Journal of Human Resource
Management. German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift für Personalforschung.
Published online 2020:5-8. doi:10.1177/2397002219900087'
apa: 'Festing, M., Iseke, A., Kabst, R., Martin, A., Matiaske, W., Mayrhofer, W.,
& Nienhüser, W. (2020). Wolfgang Weber (1939–2019) Professor of Human Resource
Management and Founding Editor of the German Journal of Human Resource Management.
German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift Für Personalforschung,
5–8. https://doi.org/10.1177/2397002219900087'
bibtex: '@article{Festing_Iseke_Kabst_Martin_Matiaske_Mayrhofer_Nienhüser_2020,
title={Wolfgang Weber (1939–2019) Professor of Human Resource Management and Founding
Editor of the German Journal of Human Resource Management}, DOI={10.1177/2397002219900087},
journal={German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift für Personalforschung},
author={Festing, Marion and Iseke, Anja and Kabst, Rüdiger and Martin, Albert
and Matiaske, Wenzel and Mayrhofer, Wolfgang and Nienhüser, Werner}, year={2020},
pages={5–8} }'
chicago: 'Festing, Marion, Anja Iseke, Rüdiger Kabst, Albert Martin, Wenzel Matiaske,
Wolfgang Mayrhofer, and Werner Nienhüser. “Wolfgang Weber (1939–2019) Professor
of Human Resource Management and Founding Editor of the German Journal of Human
Resource Management.” German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift
Für Personalforschung, 2020, 5–8. https://doi.org/10.1177/2397002219900087.'
ieee: 'M. Festing et al., “Wolfgang Weber (1939–2019) Professor of Human
Resource Management and Founding Editor of the German Journal of Human Resource
Management,” German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift für Personalforschung,
pp. 5–8, 2020, doi: 10.1177/2397002219900087.'
mla: 'Festing, Marion, et al. “Wolfgang Weber (1939–2019) Professor of Human Resource
Management and Founding Editor of the German Journal of Human Resource Management.”
German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift Für Personalforschung,
2020, pp. 5–8, doi:10.1177/2397002219900087.'
short: 'M. Festing, A. Iseke, R. Kabst, A. Martin, W. Matiaske, W. Mayrhofer, W.
Nienhüser, German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift Für Personalforschung
(2020) 5–8.'
date_created: 2020-09-15T11:51:29Z
date_updated: 2023-11-28T12:20:13Z
doi: 10.1177/2397002219900087
language:
- iso: eng
page: 5-8
publication: 'German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift für Personalforschung'
publication_identifier:
issn:
- 2397-0022
- 2397-0030
publication_status: published
status: public
title: Wolfgang Weber (1939–2019) Professor of Human Resource Management and Founding
Editor of the German Journal of Human Resource Management
type: journal_article
user_id: '42362'
year: '2020'
...
---
_id: '21090'
author:
- first_name: M.
full_name: Schneider, M.
last_name: Schneider
citation:
ama: 'Schneider M. Organisationskapital und Humankapital als strategische Ressourcen.
German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift für Personalforschung.
Published online 2016:12-34. doi:10.1177/239700220802200102'
apa: 'Schneider, M. (2016). Organisationskapital und Humankapital als strategische
Ressourcen. German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift Für
Personalforschung, 12–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/239700220802200102'
bibtex: '@article{Schneider_2016, title={Organisationskapital und Humankapital als
strategische Ressourcen}, DOI={10.1177/239700220802200102},
journal={German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift für
Personalforschung}, author={Schneider, M.}, year={2016}, pages={12–34} }'
chicago: 'Schneider, M. “Organisationskapital Und Humankapital Als Strategische
Ressourcen.” German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift Für
Personalforschung, 2016, 12–34. https://doi.org/10.1177/239700220802200102.'
ieee: 'M. Schneider, “Organisationskapital und Humankapital als strategische Ressourcen,”
German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift für Personalforschung,
pp. 12–34, 2016, doi: 10.1177/239700220802200102.'
mla: 'Schneider, M. “Organisationskapital Und Humankapital Als Strategische Ressourcen.”
German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift Für Personalforschung,
2016, pp. 12–34, doi:10.1177/239700220802200102.'
short: 'M. Schneider, German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift Für
Personalforschung (2016) 12–34.'
date_created: 2021-01-27T10:30:07Z
date_updated: 2023-11-14T16:13:34Z
doi: 10.1177/239700220802200102
language:
- iso: eng
page: 12-34
publication: 'German Journal of Human Resource Management: Zeitschrift für Personalforschung'
publication_identifier:
issn:
- 2397-0022
- 2397-0030
publication_status: published
status: public
title: Organisationskapital und Humankapital als strategische Ressourcen
type: journal_article
user_id: '471'
year: '2016'
...