The increasing aging of Western Countries makes compelling for organizations to find out successfully approaches to sustain senior workers’ performance and engagement. Drawing on social exchange theory, prior research suggests that the adoption of HR practices in the areas of training and development helps to maximize employees’ positive work attitudes. However, while research has generally assumed that HR practices influence all employees in the same way, there are many evidences that employees’ motives and needs change with age, suggesting that older workers may react differently to the same HR practices as compared to younger colleagues. This study sheds light on this important and under-explored issue, analyzing weather the effect of Development HR practices on Job Satisfaction and Affective Commitment is moderated by age in a sample of 37 companies located in Italy, involving a total of 6,182 employees. While confirming a positive influence of development practices in increasing Job Satisfaction and Affective Commitment, our result show that this positive relationship weakens with age. Indeed, Development HR practices were associated with lower Job Satisfaction and Affective Commitment for the oldest employees. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed suggesting the need to deserve greater consideration to age diversity in tailoring HR practices and their effect on employees’ attitudes.

Exploring the influence of age diversity on employees’ reactions to HR practices: Age as moderator between Development HR practices and employees Affective Commitment and Job Satisfaction

INNOCENTI L.;SAMMARRA, ALESSIA;
2011-01-01

Abstract

The increasing aging of Western Countries makes compelling for organizations to find out successfully approaches to sustain senior workers’ performance and engagement. Drawing on social exchange theory, prior research suggests that the adoption of HR practices in the areas of training and development helps to maximize employees’ positive work attitudes. However, while research has generally assumed that HR practices influence all employees in the same way, there are many evidences that employees’ motives and needs change with age, suggesting that older workers may react differently to the same HR practices as compared to younger colleagues. This study sheds light on this important and under-explored issue, analyzing weather the effect of Development HR practices on Job Satisfaction and Affective Commitment is moderated by age in a sample of 37 companies located in Italy, involving a total of 6,182 employees. While confirming a positive influence of development practices in increasing Job Satisfaction and Affective Commitment, our result show that this positive relationship weakens with age. Indeed, Development HR practices were associated with lower Job Satisfaction and Affective Commitment for the oldest employees. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed suggesting the need to deserve greater consideration to age diversity in tailoring HR practices and their effect on employees’ attitudes.
2011
978-88-89677-76-6
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11697/32775
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