Demographic changes and workforce ageing represent one of the key challenges in contemporary human resource practices within public administration. The purpose of this thesis is to examine how perceived organizational practices and work-environment characteristics influence the commitment of older employees in ministries, and how the findings can serve as a basis for developing more effective and age-inclusive practices. Based on the results, the conclusion outlines key considerations for improving the treatment of older employees, which may contribute to a more inclusive organizational environment. The objective of the study is to determine whether organizational practices aimed at supporting older employees in the ministries of the Republic of Slovenia affect their expressed organizational commitment. The research is based on the Later Life Workplace Index (LLWI), which encompasses nine organizational environment factors, and on the three-dimensional organizational commitment model by Meyer and Allen (1991), measuring affective, normative, and continuance commitment.
The study was conducted using a survey on a sample of employees in Slovenian ministries. The results show that older employees rated certain factors, such as leadership support, knowledge transfer, and retirement practices, significantly lower, which indicates a lack of systematic approaches. On the other hand, higher ratings were given to factors such as organizational climate and perceived job security. The analysis also revealed differences in organizational commitment between older and younger employees, with older employees expressing a higher level of commitment.
A comparison with German practices, where the LLWI instrument was originally developed and validated, shows that organizational approaches to older employees in Slovenian ministries are less developed and often dependent on individual managers, while in Germany they are more systematically integrated into HR strategies and public policies. Based on the results, proposals have been formulated to improve organizational practices in ministries. Key proposals include the establishment of structured programs for extending working life, enabling employees to gradually transition into retirement. The importance of formal mechanisms for intergenerational cooperation such as mentoring schemes, learning pairs, and project teams aimed at exchanging experiences among employees of different ages is also emphasized.
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