1. ∩ CCR Amsterdam Center for Career Research Age, psychological contracts and job attitudes Matthijs Bal Management & Organization VU University Amsterdam The Netherlands Annet de Lange (RUG) PhD Paul Jansen (VU) PhD Mandy van der Velde (UU) PhD EAWOP 2007 Stockholm

2. ∩ CCR Amsterdam Center for Career Research Outline Psychological contracts Age and relation with psychological contracts Hypotheses Study Results and discussion

3. ∩ CCR Amsterdam Center for Career Research BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

4. ∩ CCR Amsterdam Center for Career Research Psychological contracts Rousseau (1989): “The individual beliefs regarding the terms and conditions of a reciprocal exchange agreement between that focal person and another party.” Perceived obligations Obligation fulfillment

5. ∩ CCR Amsterdam Center for Career Research Age (1) Age is a proxy; not a causal variable Loss: Health, cognitive abilities Growth: Knowledge and experience

6. ∩ CCR Amsterdam Center for Career Research Age (2) Lifespan theory (Baltes & Baltes, 1990; Carstensen et al., 1999): maximizing gains (through knowledge) vs. minimizing losses (through prevention). H1: Older workers perceive less obligations concerning knowledge than younger workers

7. ∩ CCR Amsterdam Center for Career Research Moderation of age Older people better emotion regulation: quicker return to positive moods after negative events Older people less negative affectivity No differences in positive affectivity H2: Age moderates relations fulfillment – attitudes. Younger employees stronger correlations for negative events, no differences in positive events.

8. ∩ CCR Amsterdam Center for Career Research Descriptives Study N=727 Insurance company 42% female M age: 40.33 years Org. Tenure: 10.56; job tenure: 5.51 4 psychological contract factors measured: –Rewards –job content –job conditions –development

9. ∩ CCR Amsterdam Center for Career Research Results (1) VariableRewardsJob contentJob conditions Development Age.01.02-.00-.17*** Control for job tenure, gender, work status, education Adjusted R 2.03.10.00.04 Note: N= 727;* p <.05; ** p <.01; *** p<.001

10. ∩ CCR Amsterdam Center for Career Research Results (2) Work engagement Affective commitment Turnover Intention Control for age, job tenure, gender, work status, education Psychological contract fulfillment.42***.34***-.43*** Interactions: Contract fulfillment * age-.08*-.02.09* Adjusted R 2.20.16.20 Note: N= 727;* p <.05; ** p <.01; *** p<.001

11. ∩ CCR Amsterdam Center for Career Research Results: interactions

12. ∩ CCR Amsterdam Center for Career Research Discussion Older workers see less organizational obligations concerning development. Cognitive dissonance: not offered, thus not expected?

13. ∩ CCR Amsterdam Center for Career Research Discussion Age plays a role in how psychological contracts shape attitudes and behavior: younger people respond with lower engagement, and higher turnover intention when psychological contracts are not fulfilled. But not affective commitment…

14. ∩ CCR Amsterdam Center for Career Research Limitations Cross-sectional data: cohort differences Self-reports Healthy worker effects and early retirement: –Few people >60 Thus: –Follow up study –Older samples

15. ∩ CCR Amsterdam Center for Career Research Conclusions Older workers have lower expectations concerning development and Older workers respond differently to organizational inducements compared to younger workers.

16. ∩ CCR Amsterdam Center for Career Research Questions? For more information: Matthijs Bal pbal@feweb.vu.nl http://staff.feweb.vu.nl/pbal