Who benefits from more tasks? Older versus younger workers

Abstract

Purpose – Although a substantial body of research has examined the effects of job characteristics on job attitudes, there is a paucity of work on individual difference moderators of these relationships. Based in selective optimization with compensation theory and socio-emotional selectivity theory, the purpose of this paper is to show that age moderated the relationship between task variety and two key job attitudes, job satisfaction and engagement. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through self-report questionnaires (n=152), using a time-lagged design with two waves (two to three weeks between T 1 and T 2). Findings – The authors found that task variety had a stronger relationship with job satisfaction and work engagement for younger workers compared to older workers. Research limitations/implications – Although there was good age variance in the sample, it had fewer late-career workers and more workers who are in their early and mid-career. Practical implications – To have workers of all ages satisfied and engaged at work, we need to understand which work characteristics are the best for them. For example, it may be a competitive gain for organizations to challenge younger workers with different tasks, and to challenge older workers in ways that utilize their experience. Social implications – The study addresses a societal issue related to profound demographic changes in the age composition of the workforce, gaining a better knowledge of differences between workers of different ages to promote effective interventions and policies. Originality/value – This is the first study to show that task variety differentially affects worker satisfaction and engagement depending on the age of the worker.

Work Engagement of Older Employees: do Employee and Work-Related Factors Matter?

“…Thus, jobs, involving wider variety of tasks, are more interesting, provide higher satisfaction and result in work engagement. Thus, some studies performed by scholars disclosed positive relationship between task variety and work engagement (Zaniboni et al, 2014).…”

Burnout of Older and Younger Employees – The Case of Slovenia

“…Job characteristics are not experienced in the same way by all age-diverse workers. Given the demographic shifts in today's workplace, worker age would appear to be an important individual difference (Zaniboni et al, 2014). Organizations' should be aware of the well-being of all age-diverse employees, therefore the well-being of employees contributes to the productivity of the organization.…”

“…With a more age-diverse workforce, new research questions arise. It becomes more important to find ways for people to stay satisfied and engaged in their work at different life stages (Zaniboni et al, 2014). Organizations' need to know more about age-diversity in the workplace in order to adapt their HRM strategies and leadership styles in an effective and sustainable way for their age-diverse employees (Hertel et al, 2013b).…”

“…That means, that job characteristics are not experienced in the same way by all workers (Zaniboni et al, 2014). Zaniboni et al (2014) demonstrated that the role of age in the relationship between job characteristics and job attitudes is important, because with the aging population, it is important to see how jobs might be redesigned to enable people to continue to work successfully.…”

“…That means, that job characteristics are not experienced in the same way by all workers (Zaniboni et al, 2014). Zaniboni et al (2014) demonstrated that the role of age in the relationship between job characteristics and job attitudes is important, because with the aging population, it is important to see how jobs might be redesigned to enable people to continue to work successfully. It is appropriate to examine the interplay between age and work characteristics because people generally spend a significant part of their lifespan working, and therefore have ample opportunity to display these adaptive processes throughout their working lives, yet the role of age in job design has largely been ignored (Truxillo et al, 2012).…”