Drawing on the cognitive appraisal theory of stress, through the analysis of three-stage questionnaire data from 350 samples, this study examines the mechanisms and boundary conditions through which knowledge distance influences older employees’ knowledge seeking from younger colleagues. The results show that knowledge distance inhibits older employees’ knowledge seeking from younger colleagues through hindrance appraisal, while it facilitates such knowledge seeking through challenge appraisal. Moreover, age-inclusive human resources practices negatively moderate the relationship between knowledge distance and hindrance appraisal, thereby weakening the negative mediating effect of hindrance appraisal. In addition, age-inclusive human resources practices positively moderate the link between knowledge distance and challenge appraisal, thereby strengthening the positive indirect effect via challenge appraisal.