This article extends the conceptual knowledge of average relative subjective age in organizations by exploring organizational-level antecedents and consequences of employees, on average, feeling younger than their chronological age. We draw from the theories of selection-optimization-compensation and socioemotional selectivity to build a theoretical framework for relative subjective age in organizations. We hypothesize that companies in which employees, on average, perceive themselves to be younger than they actually are have a higher average individual goal accomplishment and, in turn, experience higher company performance. We further hypothesize that employees' average experience of high work-related meaning relates to a lower subjective age in organizations. In addition, we assess the role of environmental dynamism and age-inclusive human resource management as moderators in this theoretical model. Through empirically testing this model in a multisource dataset, including 107 companies with 15,164 participating employees, we received support for the hypothesized relationships. Our results contribute to current debates in the scientific literature on age and have important practical implications in light of the demographic changes faced by many companies. This research indicates to both researchers and practitioners that it is not employees' chronological age but their subjective age, a factor that can be influenced, which drives organizational performance outcomes.
This article explores whether a top management team’s (TMT) behavioural integration relates to the work outcomes of employees. We first discuss likely theoretical mechanisms for such a relationship by integrating the literature on top management team behavioural integration with the literature on organizational climate, productive energy and employee work outcomes. Subsequently, we test our hypotheses in a dataset containing the responses of 191 top management team members and 5048 employees from 63 organizations by using structural equation modelling. The results show that top management team behavioural integration is related positively to an organization’s productive energy, which in turn is related to employees’ increased job satisfaction and decreased turnover intentions. By providing first insights into the consequences of top management team behavioural integration for employees, this article opens a new avenue for scientific inquiry on the organizational impact of top management team behaviour.
This study provides insight about the process of top management teams' (TMTs') sensemaking about leadership of middle managers—a process that has so far been neglected by researchers. In a longitudinal case study design, the authors analyzed observational data from 23 TMT meetings and transcripts from interviews with TMT members. Results indicate that TMT sensemaking consisted of images of middle managers, the TMT self-image, and reflection on action and action planning. Furthermore, the importance of TMT unity in actions toward middle managers is highlighted as an important aspect of TMT leadership. It is suggested to incorporate TMT sensemaking about leadership, as well as actual leadership actions toward middle managers, as processes for explaining how TMT composition influences organizational performance.
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