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Age, psychological contracts and job attitudes

Age, psychological contracts and job attitudes. Matthijs Bal Management & Organization VU University Amsterdam The Netherlands Annet de Lange (RUG) PhD Paul Jansen (VU) PhD Mandy van der Velde (UU) PhD. EAWOP 2007 Stockholm. Outline. Psychological contracts

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Age, psychological contracts and job attitudes

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  1. Age, psychological contracts and job attitudes Matthijs Bal Management & Organization VU University Amsterdam The Netherlands Annet de Lange (RUG) PhD Paul Jansen (VU) PhD Mandy van der Velde (UU) PhD EAWOP 2007 Stockholm

  2. Outline • Psychological contracts • Age and relation with psychological contracts • Hypotheses • Study • Results and discussion

  3. BACKGROUND

  4. Psychological contracts • Rousseau (1989): “The individual beliefs regarding the terms and conditions of a reciprocal exchange agreement between that focal person and another party.” • Perceived obligations • Obligation fulfillment

  5. Age (1) Age is a proxy; not a causal variable Loss: Health, cognitive abilities Growth: Knowledge and experience

  6. Age (2) • Lifespan theory (Baltes & Baltes, 1990; Carstensen et al., 1999): • maximizing gains (through knowledge) vs. minimizing losses (through prevention). • H1: Older workers perceive less obligations concerning knowledge than younger workers

  7. Moderation of age • Older people better emotion regulation: quicker return to positive moods after negative events • Older people less negative affectivity • No differences in positive affectivity • H2: Age moderates relations fulfillment – attitudes. Younger employees stronger correlations for negative events, no differences in positive events.

  8. Descriptives Study • N=727 • Insurance company • 42% female • M age: 40.33 years • Org. Tenure: 10.56; job tenure: 5.51 • 4 psychological contract factors measured: • Rewards • job content • job conditions • development

  9. Results (1) Note: N= 727;* p <.05; ** p <.01; *** p<.001

  10. Results (2) Note: N= 727;* p <.05; ** p <.01; *** p<.001

  11. Results: interactions

  12. Discussion • Older workers see less organizational obligations concerning development. • Cognitive dissonance: not offered, thus not expected?

  13. Discussion • Age plays a role in how psychological contracts shape attitudes and behavior: younger people respond with lower engagement, and higher turnover intention when psychological contracts are not fulfilled. • But not affective commitment…

  14. Limitations • Cross-sectional data: cohort differences • Self-reports • Healthy worker effects and early retirement: • Few people >60 • Thus: • Follow up study • Older samples

  15. Conclusions • Older workers have lower expectations concerning development and • Older workers respond differently to organizational inducements compared to younger workers.

  16. Questions? For more information: Matthijs Bal pbal@feweb.vu.nl http://staff.feweb.vu.nl/pbal

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