Exploring the Use of Selection, Optimization, and Compensation Strategies Beyond the Individual Level in a Workplace Context - A Qualitative Case Study.

Iben Louise Karlsen,Annette Meng,Vilhelm Borg

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.832241

Iben Louise Karlsen, Annette Meng + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.832241

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Abstract

Due to aging populations and the prolonging of working lives, the number of senior workers will increase. Therefore, this study investigates the use of SOC strategies (Selection, Optimization, and Compensation) across organizational levels as a means for senior workers to maintain workability and age successfully at work. The need to expand the perspective of the SOC model beyond the individual level, when applied to a work context, has been emphasized theoretically in the literature, nevertheless, SOC strategies have so far only been examined at the individual level. This study is the first to explore SOC strategies at the organizational, leadership, and group level. We focus on senior employees and the SOC strategies they use to balance out demands and limited resources. Based on 23 semi-structured interviews with senior employees and immediate managers at two hospitals (nurses), and two dairies (skilled/unskilled workers), we explore which specific SOC strategies are used at each level and reflect on the applicability of broadening the perspective of the SOC model when applying it to a work context. Based on the empirical findings and the discussion of the empirical exploration of SOC strategies beyond the individual level, we argue that it is advantageous to further pursue this line of inquiry and include the group, leadership, and organizational level when applying the SOC model in a work setting.

Highlights

Due to aging populations and the prolonging of working lives (Bal et al, 2015), the number of senior workers will increase
To gain insight into how SOC strategies are manifested at the various organizational levels, the present study explores the SOC strategies used at the individual level as well as the organizational, leadership, and group level focusing on senior employees and the SOC strategies they use to balance out demands and limited resources
We sat out to explore SOC strategies beyond the individual level focusing on how senior employees balance out demands and limited resources, supporting a longer work life

Summary

Introduction

Due to aging populations and the prolonging of working lives (Bal et al, 2015), the number of senior workers will increase. SOC Beyond the Individual Level strategies are manifested in the everyday working life at all four organizational levels and reflect on the relevance of broadening the perspective of the SOC model when applying it to a work setting. This exploration may serve as a point of departure for how companies and researchers may examine and work with SOC strategies across organizational levels. The SOC model (Baltes and Baltes, 1990) comprises three types of strategies: Selection, referring to the individual setting of goals, and prioritization of goals, as a response to a reduction in resources, such as reduction of physical and/or cognitive functioning. Employees’ use of SOC strategies has been associated with a number of positive outcomes such as maintenance of professional competencies (Abraham and Hansson, 1995), with employees’ belief in future opportunities in the job (Zacher and Frese, 2011), job satisfaction (Yeung and Fung, 2009; Schmitt et al, 2012), with improved workability (Müller et al, 2012; von Bonsdorff et al, 2014; Weber et al, 2018; Žmauc et al, 2019), and wellbeing (Wiese et al, 2002; Carpentieri et al, 2017)

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