Abstract
Based on an integration of job design and lifespan developmental theories, Truxillo et al. (2012) proposed that job characteristics interact with employee age in predicting important work outcomes. Using an experimental policy-capturing design, we investigated age-differential effects of four core job characteristics (i.e., job autonomy, task variety, task significance, and feedback from the job) on job attraction (i.e., individuals' rating of job attractiveness). Eighty-two employees between 19 and 65 years (Mage = 41, SD = 14) indicated their job attraction for each of 40 hypothetical job descriptions in which the four job characteristics were systematically manipulated (in total, participants provided 3,280 ratings). Results of multilevel analyses showed that the positive effects of task variety, task significance, and feedback from the job were stronger for younger compared to older employees, whereas we did not find significant age-differential effects of job autonomy on job attraction. These findings are only partially consistent with propositions of Truxillo et al.'s (2012) lifespan perspective on job design.
Highlights
Populations and workforces around the globe are aging and becoming increasingly age diverse (Hedge and Borman, 2012; Truxillo et al, 2015)
We focus on four job characteristics included in both job characteristics theory (Hackman and Oldham, 1976) and the Work Design Questionnaire (WDQ), which have been identified as having age-differential effects on work outcomes by Truxillo et al (2012)
The chi-square test for the intercept (r0) was significant, χ(281) = 473.90 with p < 0.001, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.12. This value indicates that approximately 12% of the variance in job attraction can potentially be explained by between-person factors, leaving approximately 88% of the variance that could potentially be explained by within-person factors
Summary
Populations and workforces around the globe are aging and becoming increasingly age diverse (Hedge and Borman, 2012; Truxillo et al, 2015) This implies that organizations have to identify effective ways to attract highly qualified younger and older job applicants. Adopting a lifespan perspective on job design, Truxillo et al (2012) suggested that young and older workers have different preferences with regard to job characteristics. They offered a model, based on an integration of job design and lifespan developmental theories, that outlines possible moderating effects of age on relationships between various job characteristics and work outcomes
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