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 preferen

SUBMITTER: Fousiani K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12818692 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature