The influence of age diversity practices on workers’ well-being and intention to leave: The role of the relational psychological contract
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17575/psicologia.1704Keywords:
aging, age-diversity practices, psychological contract, turnover intention, well-beingAbstract
The aging of the world population poses numerous challenges for organizations, including the retention of an increasingly age diverse workforce. Drawing on psychological contract and social exchange theories, this study examines the effect of age-diversity practices on workers’ subjective well-being and turnover intention through a relational psychological contract. A sample of 257 Portuguese workers answered a questionnaire. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was applied to test the mediation model. The results showed that the existence of age-diversity practices contributes to the development of a relational psychological contract, which, in turn, leads to higher levels of well-being and lower turnover intentions. Theoretical and practical implications of results are discussed.
Downloads
References
Aggarwal, U., & Bhargava, S. (2009). Reviewing the relationship between human resource practices and psychological contract and their impact on employee attitude and behaviours: A conceptual model. Journal of European Industrial Training, 33(1), 4–31. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090590910924351
Alfes, K., Truss, C., Soane, E. C., Rees, C., & Gatenby, M. (2013). The relationship between line manager behavior, perceived HRM practices, and individual performance: Examining the mediating role of engagement. Human Resource Management, 52(6), 839–859. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.21512
Ali, M., & French, E. (2019). Age diversity management and organisational outcomes: The role of diversity perspectives. Human Resource Management Journal, 29(2), 287–307. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12225
Allen, D. G., Shore, L. M., & Griffeth, R. W. (2003). The role of perceived organizational support and supportive human resource practices in the turnover process. Journal of Management, 29(1), 99–118. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920630302900107
Bal, P. M., Kooij, D. T., & De Jong, S. B. (2013). How do developmental and accommodative HRM enhance employee engagement and commitment? The role of psychological contract and SOC strategies. Journal of Management Studies, 50(4), 545–572. https://doi.org/10.1111/joms.12028
Baltes, P. B., & Baltes, M. M. (1990). Psychological perspectives on successful aging: The model of selective optimization with compensation. In P. B. Baltes & M. M. Baltes (Eds.), Successful aging: Perspectives from the behavioral sciences (pp. 1–34). Cambridge University Press.
Blau, P. M. (1964). Exchange and power in social life. John Wiley and Sons.
Blomme, R. J., van Rheede, A., & Tromp, D. M. (2010). The use of the psychological contract to explain turnover intentions in the hospitality industry: A research study on the impact of gender on the turnover intentions of highly educated employees. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 21(1), 144–162. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585190903466954
Boehm, S. A., & Dwertmann, D. J. (2015). Forging a single-edged sword: Facilitating positive age and disability diversity effects in the workplace through leadership, positive climates, and HR practices. Work, Aging and Retirement, 1(1), 41–63. https://doi.org/10.1093/workar/wau008
Boehm, S. A., Kunze, F., & Bruch, H. (2014). Spotlight on age-diversity climate: The impact of age inclusive HR practices on firm-level outcomes. Personnel Psychology, 67(3), 667–704. https://doi.org/10.1111/peps.12047
Bohlmann, C., Rudolph, C. W., & Zacher, H. (2018). Methodological recommendations to move research on work and aging forward. Work, Aging and Retirement, 4(3), 225–237. https://doi.org/10.1093/workar/wax023
Brislin, R. W. (1970). Back-translation for cross-cultural research. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 1(3), 185–216. https://doi.org/10.1177/135910457000100301
Burmeister, A., van der Heijden, B., Yang, J., & Deller, J. (2018). Knowledge transfer in age‐diverse coworker dyads in China and Germany: How and when do age‐inclusive human resource practices have an effect?. Human Resource Management Journal, 28(4), 605–620. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12207
Carstensen, L. L., Isaacowitz, D. M., & Charles, S. T. (1999). Taking time seriously: A theory of socioemotional selectivity. American Psychologist, 54(3), 165–181. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.54.3.165
Cohen, J., Cohen, P., West, S. G., & Aiken, L. S. (2003). Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences (3rd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum.
Conen, W. S., Dalen, H. P. V., & Henkens, K. (2012). Ageing and employers’ perceptions of labour costs and productivity: a survey among European employers. International Journal of Manpower, 33(6), 629–647. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437721211261796
Conway, N., Guest, D., & Trenberth, L. (2011). Testing the differential effects of changes in psychological contract breach and fulfillment. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 79(1), 267–276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2011.01.003
Costa, S. P., & Neves, P. (2017). Forgiving is good for health and performance: How forgiveness helps individuals cope with the psychological contract breach. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 100, 124–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2017.03.005
Cropanzano, R., & Mitchell, M. S. (2005). Social exchange theory: An interdisciplinary review. Journal of Management, 31(6), 874–900. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206305279602
Danna, K., & Griffin, R. W. (1999). Health and well-being in the workplace: A review and synthesis of the literature. Journal of Management, 25(3), 357–384. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0149-2063(99)00006-9
Diener, E., & Ryan, K. (2009). Subjective well-being: A general overview. South African Journal of Psychology, 39(4), 391–406. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F008124630903900402
Diener, E., Lucas, R. E., & Oishi, S. (2018). Advances and open questions in the science of subjective well-being. Collabra: Psychology, 4(1): 15. https://doi.org/10.1525/collabra.115
Eisenberger, R., Huntington, R., Hutchison, S., & Sowa, D. (1986). Perceived organizational support. Journal of Applied Psychology, 71(3), 500–507. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.71.3.500
Festing, M., & Schäfer, L. (2014). Generational challenges to talent management: A framework for talent retention based on the psychological-contract perspective. Journal of World Business, 49(2), 262–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2013.11.010
Griffeth, R. W., Hom, P. W., & Gaertner, S. (2000). A meta-analysis of antecedents and correlates of employee turnover: Update, moderator tests, and research implications for the next millennium. Journal of Management, 26(3), 463–488. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920630002600305
Guest, D. E., & Clinton, M. (2010). Causes and consequences of the psychological contract. In D. E. Guest, K. Isaksson, & H. De Witte (Eds.), Employment contracts, psychological contracts, and employee well-being: An international study (pp. 121–160). Oxford University Press.
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis: A global perspective (7th ed.). Prentice Hall.
Hansen, S. D., & Griep, Y. (2016) Psychological contracts. In J. P. Meyer (Ed.), Handbook of employee commitment (pp. 119–135). Edward Elgar Publishing.
Instituto Nacional de Estatística. (2015). Envelhecimento da população residente em Portugal e na União Europeia. Lisboa: INE.
Instituto Nacional de Estatística. (2017). Projeções de População Residente 2015-2080. Lisboa: INE.
Khilji, S. E., & Wang, X. (2006). ‘Intended’ and ‘implemented’ HRM: the missing linchpin in strategic human resource management research. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 17(7), 1171–1189. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585190600756384
Kooij, D. T., Guest, D. E., Clinton, M., Knight, T., Jansen, P. G. W., & Dikkers, J. S. E. (2013). How the impact of HR practices on employee well‐being and performance changes with age. Human Resource Management Journal, 23(1), 18–35. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12000
Luna-Arocas, R., & Camps, J. (2008). A model of high performance work practices and turnover intentions. Personnel Review, 37(1), 26–46. https://doi.org/10.1108/00483480810839950
Moghimi, D., Zacher, H., Scheibe, S., & Van Yperen, N. W. (2017). The selection, optimization, and compensation model in the work context: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of two decades of research. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 38(2), 247–275. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2108
Morrison, E. W., & Robinson, S. L. (1997). When employees feel betrayed: A model of how psychological contract violation develops. Academy of Management Review, 22(1), 226–256. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1997.9707180265
Nações Unidas. (2017). World population ageing. New York: United Nations.
Nagarajan, N. R., Teixeira, A. A., & Silva, S. T. (2016). The impact of an ageing population on economic growth: an exploratory review of the main mechanisms. Análise Social, 51(218), 4–35.
Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J.-Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5), 879–903. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.879
Raja, U., Johns, G., & Ntalianis, F. (2004). The impact of personality on psychological contracts. Academy of Management Journal, 47(3), 350–367. https://doi.org/10.5465/20159586
Rousseau, D. M. (1990). New hire perceptions of their own and their employer’s obligations: A study of psychological contracts. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 11(5), 389–400. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.4030110506
Rousseau, D. M., & Greller, M. M. (1994). Human resource practices: Administrative contract makers. Human Resource Management, 33(3), 385–401. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrm.3930330308
Rudolph, C. W., & Zacher, H. (2021). Age inclusive human resource practices, age diversity climate, and work ability: Exploring between-and within-person indirect effects. Work, Aging and Retirement, 7(4), 387–403. https://doi.org/10.1093/workar/waaa008
Rusbult, C. E., Farrell, D., Rogers, G., & Mainous, A. G. (1988). Impact of exchange variables on exit, voice, loyalty, and neglect: An integrative model of responses to declining job satisfaction. Academy of Management Journal, 31(3), 599–627. https://doi.org/10.5465/256461
Siliverstovs, B., Kholodilin, K. A., & Thiessen, U. (2011). Does aging influence structural change? Evidence from panel data. Economic Systems, 35(2), 244–260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecosys.2010.05.004
Sonnentag, S. (2015). Dynamics of well-being. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 2, 261–293. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032414-111347
Sousa, I. C., & Ramos, S. (2019). Longer working lives and age diversity: a new challenge for HRM. European Journal of Management Studies, 24(1), 21–44. https://doi.org/10.5455/EJMS/288677/2019
Sousa, I. C., Ramos, S., & Carvalho, H. (2019). Age-diversity practices and retirement preferences among older workers: A moderated mediation model of work engagement and work ability. Frontiers in Psychology, 10:1937. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01937
Sousa, I. C., Ramos, S., & Carvalho, H. (2021). Retaining an age-diverse workforce through HRM: The mediation of work engagement and affective commitment. German Journal of Human Resource Management, 35(4), 409–415. https://doi.org/10.1177/2397002220979797
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2013) Using multivariate statistics (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Topp, C. W., Østergaard, S. D., Søndergaard, S., & Bech, P. (2015). The WHO-5 well-being index: A systematic review of the literature. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 84(3), 167–176. https://doi.org/10.1159/000376585
Truxillo, D. M., Cadiz, D. M., & Hammer, L. B. (2015). Supporting the aging workforce: A review and recommendations for workplace intervention research. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 2, 351–381. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032414-111435
Van De Voorde, K., Paauwe, J., & Van Veldhoven, M. (2012). Employee well‐being and the HRM–organizational performance relationship: a review of quantitative studies. International Journal of Management Reviews, 14(4), 391–407. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2011.00322.x
Walker, A. (1999). Managing an ageing workforce – A guide to good practice. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.
Wright, T. A., & Cropanzano, R. (2000). Psychological well-being and job satisfaction as predictors of job performance. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 5(1), 84–94. https://doi.org/10.1037/1076-8998.5.1.84
Zhao, H., Wayne, S. J., Glibkowski, B. C., & Bravo, J. (2007). The impact of psychological contract breach on work‐related outcomes: a meta‐analysis. Personnel Psychology, 60(3), 647–680. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2007.00087.x
