The role of matching individual
and organizational needs in the
employment relationship as a
facilitating factor enabling longer
working lives
René Schalk
Cedefop, Thessaloniki, 29-30
September 2008: Working at old age –
Emerging theories and empirical
perspectives on ageing and work
Kerstin Isaksson
Content
• Definition and meaning of “age”
• The dynamics of matching of individual and
organizational needs over time
• Research-based knowledge on HR-policies
• Differences in psychological contracts
between European countries
• Conclusions: how to take into account the
specific needs of each age group in
organizations, and how to enable older
people to stay employed?
Kerstin Isaksson
Meaning of “age”
Representation of possible definitions of the concept “Ageing” and indicators (Adapted from De Lange et al., 2006)
Aging
ageing
Underlying causal
changes
Biological, psychological, social and societal changes across time
Type of Definition
Chronological
Age
Functional
Age
Psychosocial
Age
Organizational
Age
Possible indicators
Calendar Age
Health
Social or self
perceptions
Company Tenure
Kerstin Isaksson
Life-span
Age
Home situation
Matching organizational and individual needs
Context: labour market,
economic developments,
flexicurity policies
Employer
demands/
offers
The psychological
contract
Changes over time (career prospects,
work/life balance, tasks/assignments)
Kerstin Isaksson
Employee
demands/
offers
The psychological contract
• The content refers to the perceptions of
the employee on the promises and
obligations of the employer and
him/herself implied in the employment
relationship
• The fulfillment of the psychological
contract is concerned with whether the
promises and obligations have been met
Kerstin Isaksson
Psychological contract
Psychological
Contract
Age
Background
variables
• Content of PC
Individual
outcomes
 promises made
• State of PC
 fulfillment of
promises
 violations
Kerstin Isaksson
Organisational
outcomes
Theoretical background of
changes with age
• Identity theory: older employees identify more
 less expectations on obligations, greater
degree of fulfillment
• P-E fit theory: balancing career and private
life  different patterns of obligations at
different points in time
• Rising expectations: older employees have
higher expectations  more obligations,
more violations
• No age-related differences
Kerstin Isaksson
Research questions
• Are there systematic differences in
content and fulfillment of employer
obligations related to age?
• Does the country context make a
difference?
Kerstin Isaksson
Sample of permanent employees
from the Psycones project
•
•
•
•
Seven European countries, three sectors
Permanent employees
N = 3351, 54% female, 69% non supervisory
Age
categories: <30, 31-40, 41-50, > 50 years
Kerstin Isaksson
Measures (employee perspective)
• Content of PC (employer obligations)
Has your organization promised or committed itself
to…. (yes/no) 15 employer promises
• Content of PC (employee obligations)
Have you promised or committed yourself to….
(yes/no) 17 employee promises
• Contract fulfillment
For each item “To what extent has this promise or
commitment been kept?” (Scale 1-5)
• Violations (6 items)
Kerstin Isaksson
Fulfillment of employer obligations
Mean Delivery of the deal, employers obligations
3,75
3,70
3,65
3,60
3,55
1,00
1,50
2,00
2,50
3,00
age4
Kerstin Isaksson
3,50
4,00
Fulfillment of employee obligations
Mean Delivery of the deal employees obligations
4,40
4,35
4,30
4,25
4,20
1,00
1,50
2,00
2,50
3,00
age4
Kerstin Isaksson
3,50
4,00
Country differences
number of employer obligations
country
Mean Content employers obligations
12,00
Sweden
Germany
Netherlands
Belgium
UK
Spain
Israel
11,00
10,00
9,00
8,00
7,00
1,00
1,50
2,00
2,50
3,00
3,50
age categories
Kerstin Isaksson
4,00
Country differences fulfillment of
employer obligations
Mean Delivery of the deal, employers obligations
country
Sweden
Germany
Netherlands
Belgium
UK
Spain
Israel
4,25
4,00
3,75
3,50
3,25
1,00
1,50
2,00
2,50
3,00
3,50
age categories
Kerstin Isaksson
4,00
Country differences fulfillment of employee
obligations
country
Mean Delivery of the deal employees obligations
4,60
Sweden
Germany
Netherlands
Belgium
UK
Spain
Israel
4,50
4,40
4,30
4,20
4,10
4,00
1,00
1,50
2,00
2,50
3,00
3,50
4,00
age categories
Kerstin Isaksson
Conclusions (1)
• No age differences in Number of
Employer and Employee Obligations
(Content of the Psychological Contract)
• Lower Fulfillment at lower ages
• No age differences in Violations
Kerstin Isaksson
Conclusions (2)
• Country effects in number of emlopyer
obligations
• Better delivery with age in Germany,
Sweden, and Israel, worse in Spain,
UK, Belgium and The Netherlands
• No country differences with age in
fulfillment of employee obligations
Kerstin Isaksson
Discussion
•
•
•
•
Size of effects
Career stages and specific obligations?
Continuity effects?
I-deals?
Kerstin Isaksson