Achieving Employability as We Age: The Role of Age and Achievement Goal Orientations on Learning and Employability

Dominik Froehlich,Simon Beausaert,Sandra Aasma

doi:10.3390/admsci10030049

Dominik Froehlich, Simon Beausaert + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci10030049

Copy DOI

Abstract

The aging workforce challenges companies to keep their aging employees employable in the workforce. This paper gives an indication as to which employees are more likely to be interested in further learning and employability. Specifically, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of chronological age and achievement goal orientations for informal and formal learning and employability. Data of 167 Austrian knowledge workers were gathered via electronic questionnaires to investigate the relationships between age, achievement goal orientations, learning activities, and employability using structural equation modeling. It was found that informal learning has a significant positive relation with several dimensions of employability. Furthermore, mastery-approach goal orientation also shows a significant positive relation with informal learning and employability. In addition, age had no significant relation with the achievement goal orientations. The paper stresses the need to consider characteristics other than chronological age, such as goal orientations, when considering employees’ learning behavior and employability.

Highlights

Because of higher life expectancy and lower birth-rates, the populations of most countries are aging (Börsch-Supan et al 2014)
We found a positive relation between informal learning and anticipation and optimization (B = 0.18, p ≤ 0.05), personal flexibility (B = 0.23, p < 0.01), corporate sense (B = 0.24, p < 0.01), and balance (B = 0.25, p < 0.05)
We argued that chronological age and achievement goal orientations affect the engagement in learning activities and, subsequently, employability

Summary

Introduction

Because of higher life expectancy and lower birth-rates, the populations of most countries are aging (Börsch-Supan et al 2014). To maintain the current standard of living, governments restructure their retirement policies; for instance, by increasing retirement age (Bassanini and Duval 2006). These actions are not enough to keep employees in the workforce. The ratio between the non-working population and the working populations is increasing This puts companies in the position where they become more and more dependent on their older employees. Current employability research focuses on individuals’ attributes as a source for their their employability (Froehlich et al 2018): What competences do the employees have and develop?. This this definition is not concerned with actual employment or job search, these concepts are, of definition is not concerned with actual employment or job search, these concepts are, dependent.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion