Age-inclusive HR practices and the thriving of older workers: the mediating role of occupational future time perspective

Abstract

PurposeDrawing on social exchange theory and socio-emotional selectivity theory, this paper examines the role of occupational future time perspective (OFTP) in the relationship between age-inclusive HR practices (AIHRP) and the thriving of older workers.Design/methodology/approachA two-wave cross-sectional design was adopted with bootstrapped parallel multiple mediation analyses. In addition, polynomial regression with response surface analysis was used to examine the extent to which combinations of focus on opportunities and remaining time relate to thriving at work. Data were collected from 310 older workers working in 13 companies located in Portugal.FindingsAIHRP have direct effects on OFTP dimensions (i.e. focus on opportunities and remaining time), and indirect effects on the two thriving dimensions (i.e. learning and vitality) via focus on opportunities. The positive relationship between AIHRP and learning was mediated by remaining time, while no significant mediating effect on vitality through remaining time was found. Additionally, surface analysis showed that overall thriving and learning increase more sharply when focus on opportunities is higher than remaining time, rather than vice versa.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to the literature by showing the importance of personal resources like OFTP in the relationship between AIHRP and the thriving of older workers. It also provides further support for the distinctiveness of the two OFTP dimensions as remaining time was not linked to vitality, whereas focus on opportunities was linked to both thriving dimensions.

Why do or don't older employees seek knowledge from younger colleagues? A relation–opportunity model to explain how age‐inclusive human resources practices foster older employees' knowledge seeking from younger colleagues

“…Our findings reveal that there is substantial variance within the group of older employees concerning how they perceive their future at work and indicate that age‐inclusive HR practices can improve older employees' future time perspective. These results are in line with recent evidence that reports a positive link between age‐inclusive HR practices and occupational future time perspective among Portuguese employees (Oliveira, 2021). Additionally, the results can be interpreted in the light of meta‐analytic evidence indicating that future time perspective motivates older employees to continue developing themselves (Rudolph, Kooij, Rauvola, & Zacher, 2018).…”

The SEM Model of Better Workers’ Life in Companies

“…Rare companies have established goals, visions, and comprehensive management models for elderly workers (Kilroy et al, 2022). In most cases, they only approach each case's individual treatment only when problems are in sight (Oliveira, 2021). They also do not place special emphasis on health and do not introduce various programs on health and sports activities that positively impact the health and well-being of the elderly (Zhang and Gibney, 2020).…”

“…Appropriate design of jobs and working conditions affect the satisfaction of the elderly at work and their health and increased work engagement (Kilroy et al, 2022). The work performance of elderly workers largely depends on the characteristics of the workplace (Oliveira, 2021), so an individual approach to human resource management for each worker is necessary, and thus a greater emphasis on the well-being of the individual in the workplace (Douglas and Roberts, 2020). Also, more attention should be paid to implementing an age-diverse work team, as this would allow workers to work together and create intergenerational synergies (Egdell et al, 2021).…”

“…It focuses on the life expectancy of all age-diverse workers and is based on acting for the benefit of elderly workers and changing attitudes towards the elderly throughout the company (Kilroy et al, 2022;Yeung et al, 2021). Human resource management is a key element of all approaches to managing elderly workers and represents an appropriate response to the aging workforce's challenges, leading to higher work engagement among elderly workers (Douglas and Roberts, 2020;Oliveira, 2021).Work engagement is an essential factor in work satisfaction and motivation, well-being, and productivity of elderly workers. In addition, workers with higher work engagement have better mental and physical health (Magnavita, 2017).…”

“…Therefore, age diver-sity in companies must be recognized and valued, and at the same time, we must be aware of the need to create an appropriate environment to respect the diversity of the workforce (Zhang and Gibney, 2020). The age diversity of workers must become part of the company's overall strategy for equality and diversity (Oliveira, 2021). Age management is poorly developed in Slovenian companies (Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development, 2021).…”