In the modern economy, knowledge is increasingly recognized as a vital asset for both public and private organizations. Prior research indicates that retaining organizational knowledge yields competitive advantages such as reduced production costs, enhanced team performance, increased innovation capabilities, expedited new product development, and the ability to learn from past mistakes. Consequently, fostering knowledge sharing among individuals is essential for consolidating institutional memory. However, with the global trend of an ageing population, an increasing number of experienced workers are reaching retirement age. The substantial expertise these older employees hold represents a critical loss, particularly in publicly funded organizations characterized by long tenures. Scholars thus agree that organizations need to devise strategies to encourage older workers to engage actively in knowledge sharing.

 

Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Neo-institutional theory (IT), this mixed methods study sought to understand how shared norms, organizational structures and occupational dynamics shape older workers’ knowledge sharing behaviors across various occupations. This study was conducted in the public sector of Mauritius; an island state located on the eastern coast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. The civil service of Mauritius was modelled after the British administration system with a formal set of rules and regulations, a long chain of command as well as a grade system for promotion. The Government of Mauritius has expressed its will to transform the country into a knowledge hub to develop a new economic model.

 

The mixed methods design consisted of interviews with a sample of 22 older workers from different occupations to gain a contextual understanding of the knowledge sharing dynamics of the public sector. Insights from the content analysis of these interviews were incorporated in the hypothesis development stage. Subsequently, a multilevel model was tested with a larger sample of 864 older workers. Overall, findings suggest that older workers do not have complete volitional control on their knowledge sharing behavior but are equally influenced by institutional pressures.

 

Based on this mixed methods study, several implications for practice emerged. First, public organizations should formally recognize the mentoring roles of older workers through hybrid reward systems combining both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. This can motivate their continued engagement in knowledge sharing activities. Second, the creation of cross-functional knowledge sharing platforms resonating with the day-to-day challenges of each occupation can promote effective dissemination of knowledge. Third, public organizations can benefit from leadership development programs including modules on mentorship to cultivate the ‘helper’s mindset’ among supervisors and managers. Fourth, given that the sample under study included individuals who are frequently exposed to mortality cues, policymakers should encourage workplace environments in which discussions about life’s meaning, legacy, and mortality are normalized rather than stigmatized. Research has demonstrated that this reflective state has been shown to foster prosocial intentions, including the desire to share knowledge especially from older workers’ perspectives. Finally, public organizations can benefit from transitioning from manual filing systems to electronic database systems to enhance the accessibility and retrieval of institutional knowledge.