Age Diversity and Age-Based Faultlines in Teams: Understanding a Brezel Phenomenon Requires a Brezel Theory

Abstract

AbstractDemographic changes in developed countries increase age diversity within organizations and age-based faultlines in work teams. With the current commentary, we briefly take stock of the literature and review the relationships among age diversity, age-based faultlines, and team outcomes. In particular, we argue that current meta-analyses take a much too narrow focus on main effects of objective diversity. We also argue that studies on age-based faultlines, hypothetical dividing lines splitting a team into relatively homogeneous subgroups, focus too narrowly on faultlines based on objective criteria without taking perceptions into account. The conclusions of such studies are of limited value because subjective perceptions of team members (i.e., salience of age and age differences) are ignored, and central contextual influences and moderating variables such as diversity mindsets and team climate are not taken into account. We thus advocate a more complex approach (a “Brezel theory”) for understanding the complex effects of age diversity and age-based faultlines on team functioning (“Brezel” phenomena). Our approach also incorporates the idea that some team members react differently to diversity than others. Two relevant models and associated findings on when and how age diversity and age-based faultlines affect team processes are illustrated. Using these approaches in future research and related training interventions in practice will promote potential benefits and reduce potential disadvantages of age diversity and age-based faultlines in work teams.