Age and creativity at work

Abstract

Purpose -The purspose of this study is to examine the interplay between job resources (job control and support for creativity from coworkers and supervisors), age and creativity at work. Job control and support for creativity are assumed to benefit idea creativity and to moderate the relationship between age and idea creativity. Design/methodology/approach -A sample of 117 nurses completed questionnaire measures and reported a creative idea they recently had at work. Three subject matter experts rated the creativity of the ideas. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to test hypotheses. Findings -Job control and support for creativity as well as age were unrelated to idea creativity. However, job control and support for creativity moderated the relationship between age and idea creativity. Age was positively related to idea creativity under high job control and negatively related to idea creativity under low job control and low support for creativity. Research limitations/implications -A potentially selective sample due to systematic drop-outs and a selection effect of older nurses might limit the generalizability of our results. Future research should examine the mechanisms that explain the moderating effect of job resources in the relationship between age and performance. Practical implications -Older employees' creativity at work can be raised by fostering support for creativity from coworkers and supervisors. Younger employees should get support to deal with a high level of job control, because their creativity is lowest under a high level of job control. Originality/value -Using data from multiple sources the study shows that different constellations of job resources benefit older and younger employees' creativity at work.

Examining the Predictive Role of Scientific Creativity on Preservice Science Teachers' Academic Motivation

“…At the end of the research, it was determined that age was an important predictor of scientific creativity level of preservice science teachers. It is seen that findings similar to this findings presented by (Binnewies, Ohly & Niessen, 2008) [9] in the literature. Binnewies, Ohly & Niessen (2008) [9] was noted that there is a positive correlation between age and creativity under a high supervision focus in a study conducted on nurses.…”

“…It is seen that findings similar to this findings presented by (Binnewies, Ohly & Niessen, 2008) [9] in the literature. Binnewies, Ohly & Niessen (2008) [9] was noted that there is a positive correlation between age and creativity under a high supervision focus in a study conducted on nurses. It was determined that younger employees are more creative under low supervision focus and older employees are more creative under high supervision focus.…”

Divergent effects of detachment from work: a day-level study on employee creativity

“…A possible reason for not finding significant effects for cognitive resources in the prediction of daily employee creativity levels is that cognitive job resources are not sufficient for the generation of new and useful ideas (cf. Binnewies, Ohly, & Niessen, 2008). More specifically, rather than having a "standalone" effect, cognitive resources may contribute to creativity in combination with other factors.…”

Ethical Leadership, Affective Commitment, Work Engagement, and Creativity: Testing a Multiple Mediation Approach

“…According to Amabile and Pratt [6] and Binnewies, et al [59], innovative thoughts and problem solutions are produced by those individuals who are closely linked to the organization. Moreover, committed employees have the abilities to tackle the barriers and achieve their goals with fewer resources [60].…”