Too old to telework? Age but not gender shapes hiring biases across telework and office settings

Abstract

As teleworking becomes increasingly common in the post-pandemic workplace, recruiters may rely more on readily visible applicant characteristics (e.g., age and gender) when evaluating candidates, potentially triggering stereotype-based biases. This research investigates how work setting (telework versus in-office) interacts with applicant demographics to shape hiring recommendations. Drawing on Stereotype Content Theory, the study also examines whether perceptions of applicant warmth and competence mediate these effects. Across three vignette-based experimental studies, participants assessed applicants for positions offered in telework versus in-office settings. Studies 1 and 2 manipulated applicant age (younger versus older) and gender (female versus male), revealing a consistent preference for older applicants in in-office over telework positions, with no significant gender effects. Building on these findings, Study 3 focused solely on applicant age, employing a more nuanced three-level age design (younger, middle-aged, older) and replicated the age-by-setting effect. This preference for older applicants in office-based positions was mediated by perceptions of warmth. These findings suggest that hiring decisions are shaped not just by applicant qualifications, but also by perceived fit between applicant (age-related) demographics and contextual demands of the job. Theoretical and practical implications for addressing age- and gender-related biases in modern work contexts are discussed.