2022, Part of book or chapter of book (Lange, A.H. de; Heijden, B.I.J.M. van der (ed.), Een leven lang inzetbaar? Duurzame inzetbaarheid., pp. 203-212)
2022, Part of book or chapter of book (Lange, A.H. de; Heijden, B.I.J.M. van der (ed.), Een leven lang inzetbaar? Duurzame inzetbaarheid., pp. 401-414)
2015, Article / Letter to editor (Journal of Managerial Psychology, vol. 30, iss. 1, (2015), pp. 22-37)Purpose – The aim of this survey study among N=180 Dutch teachers was to examine the moderating role of calendar age and proactive personality in the relationships between developmental opportunities, on the one hand, and work engagement and self-perceived employability, on the other. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Hierarchical regression analyses have been used, illustrated by means of quotes – gathered through open questions in the survey – to support the quantitative findings. Findings – A significant interaction effect between calendar age and developmental opportunities in relation to self-perceived employability, but not to work engagement, has been found, revealing stronger positive effects for developmental opportunities among older workers than among younger ones. Research limitations/implications – The present study provides a starting-point for further research on professional development in other occupational settings. Practical implications – The use of age-conscious developmental opportunities is a powerful tool in encouraging life-long learning. Social implications – Improvement in teachers’ engagement and employability will enhance their performance, will consequently lead to better pupil performance, and will contribute to the wider status of the profession, meaning that more young talented people will seriously consider working in the field and thereby helping to address the urgent need for more teaching staff. Originality/value – This study increases the knowledge of professional development among teachers and examines to what extent age and proactivity play a role in this regard. The results of the empirical work challenge dominant views on age-related declines and losses, and invite the authors to continue scholarly work in this field focussing upon long-term intra-individual development.
2015, Article / Letter to editor (Journal of Managerial Psychology, vol. 30, iss. 1, (2015), pp. 22-37)Purpose – The aim of this survey study among N=180 Dutch teachers was to examine the moderating role of calendar age and proactive personality in the relationships between developmental opportunities, on the one hand, and work engagement and self-perceived employability, on the other. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Hierarchical regression analyses have been used, illustrated by means of quotes – gathered through open questions in the survey – to support the quantitative findings. Findings – A significant interaction effect between calendar age and developmental opportunities in relation to self-perceived employability, but not to work engagement, has been found, revealing stronger positive effects for developmental opportunities among older workers than among younger ones. Research limitations/implications – The present study provides a starting-point for further research on professional development in other occupational settings. Practical implications – The use of age-conscious developmental opportunities is a powerful tool in encouraging life-long learning. Social implications – Improvement in teachers’ engagement and employability will enhance their performance, will consequently lead to better pupil performance, and will contribute to the wider status of the profession, meaning that more young talented people will seriously consider working in the field and thereby helping to address the urgent need for more teaching staff. Originality/value – This study increases the knowledge of professional development among teachers and examines to what extent age and proactivity play a role in this regard. The results of the empirical work challenge dominant views on age-related declines and losses, and invite the authors to continue scholarly work in this field focussing upon long-term intra-individual development.
2015, Part of book or chapter of book (Facing the challenges of a multi-age workforce : a use-inspired approach, pp. 50-79)Facing the Challenges of a Multi-Age Workforce examines the shifting economic, cultural, and technological trends in the modern workplace that are taking place as a result of the aging global workforce. Taking an international perspective, contributors address workforce aging issues around the world, allowing for productive cross-cultural comparisons. Chapters adopt a use-inspired approach, with contributors proposing solutions to real problems faced by organizations, including global teamwork, unemployed youth, job obsolescence and over-qualification, heavy emotional labor and physically demanding jobs, and cross-age perceptions and communication. Additional commentaries from sociologists, gerontologists, economists, and scholars of labor and government round out the volume and demonstrate the interdisciplinary nature of this important topic.
2013, Article / Letter to editor (Work & Stress: An International Journal of Work, Health & Organisations, vol. 27, iss. 1, (2013), pp. 88-105)Since workforces across the world are aging, researchers and organizations need more insight into how and why occupational well-being, together with work-related attitudes and motivations, change with age. Lifespan theories point to subjective health and future time perspective (i.e. an individuals perceptions of his or her remaining time to live) as potentially relevant age-related variables. Using two Dutch samples, a health care company (N=448) and university employees (N=1271), we examined whether subjective health and future time, perceived as open-ended or limited, mediate the relation between age and work-related motivations (growth, security, esteem and generativity), and whether those motivations in turn influence work engagement. In line with lifespan theories, the study demonstrated that the relations of chronological age with work-related growth, esteem and security motivations were mediated by an open-ended future time perspective and a good subjective general health. The association between age and generativity motivations was not mediated by a limited future time perspective. Furthermore, growth, esteem and generativity motivations had a positive association with work engagement. These findings imply that the future time perspective and subjective health of older workers should be taken into account, and not just chronological age, when examining or managing their occupational well-being.