Technology Adoption at Work: How Age Matters

June 5, 2026

Abstract

Organizations increasingly rely on digital technologies to improve productivity, yet adoption remains uneven across age groups. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from 51 empirical studies to examine how workers’ age shapes the drivers of workplace technology adoption, behavioral intention, and actual use. Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the review identifies consistent age-related patterns in attitudes toward technology, perceived usefulness, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions. The findings highlight that while younger workers adopt technologies more readily, older workers’ adoption depends strongly on organizational support and enabling environments. The review concludes with actionable recommendations for designing age-inclusive digital strategies that maximize technology uptake and workforce sustainability.

Key Messages

Younger workers adopt workplace technologies more frequently, driven primarily by positive attitudes and expectations of performance and career benefits.
Older workers generally recognize the usefulness of technology, but adoption is highly contingent on training, IT support, and facilitating conditions.
Performance expectancy matters more for younger workers, while facilitating conditions matter more for older workers.
Uniform technology rollouts risk reinforcing age-based inequalities, especially in increasingly digital and AI-enabled workplaces.

Challenge:

Organizations and policymakers face growing difficulty ensuring that new workplace technologies are adopted equitably across an age-diverse workforce. Failed or uneven adoption undermines return on investment, slows organizational change, and can unintentionally marginalize older workers. As populations age and digitalization accelerates, the absence of age-sensitive implementation strategies risks deepening skill gaps, reinforcing age stereotypes, and reducing the long-term sustainability of digital innovation.

Research

Fazi et al. (2025) conducted a systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines, analyzing 51 empirical studies published across sectors, countries, and types of workplace technologies. The review integrates findings using key adoption antecedents from TAM and UTAUT: attitude toward technology, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions, as well as behavioral intention and actual technology use. Age is examined both as a direct predictor and as a moderator of adoption mechanisms.

Findings

Across studies, younger workers consistently show higher intention to use and higher actual use of workplace technologies. Their adoption is driven mainly by favorable attitudes and perceived performance benefits, particularly for knowledge-oriented tools such as collaboration platforms and e-learning systems. In contrast, older workers often perceive technologies as useful, sometimes even more useful than younger workers, but experience lower confidence in using them. Their adoption depends strongly on facilitating conditions, including access to training, IT support, and organizational infrastructure. Social influence plays a mixed role and appears to vary depending on the source of influence (e.g., peers vs. supervisors) and the type of technology. Overall, the evidence suggests that age differences are not due to resistance, but to differences in resources, confidence, and contextual support.

Impact

This research provides clear guidance for organizations and policymakers seeking to design age-inclusive digital transformation strategies. The findings emphasize complementary strengths across age groups. Tailoring communication, training, and support mechanisms to different age groups can significantly improve technology uptake, reduce resistance, and enhance organizational performance. Practical strategies include age-sensitive learning, targeted IT support for older workers, and clear communication of performance and career benefits, particularly for younger employees. Together, these measures support more equitable adoption, better use of human capital, and long-term digital sustainability.

Reference: Fazi, L., Zaniboni, S., & Wang, M. (2025). Age differences in the adoption of technology at work: a review and recommendations for managerial practice. Journal of organizational change management, 38(8), 138-175.

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