The impact of work-related and personal resources on older workers' fatigue, work enjoyment and retirement intentions over time

Dave Stynen*, Nicole W. H. Jansen, IJmert Kant

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

This study aims to examine the impact of work-related and personal resources on older workers' retirement intentions by studying the pathways (fatigue and work enjoyment) from resources to retirement intentions, the buffering role of resources for psychological job demands, in a cross-sectional and longitudinal timeframe. Longitudinal results on a subsample of full-time, older workers (n = 1642) from the Maastricht Cohort Study suggest that over four years of follow-up personal resources like personal mastery and perceived health related to less (prolonged) fatigue and more work enjoyment. Personal mastery also related to later retirement intentions. A work-related resource like decision authority related to less prolonged fatigue. (Prolonged) fatigue related to earlier retirement intentions, suggesting that fatigue may be a pathway to early retirement. Finally, little evidence was found for effect modification by resources. This prospective study indicates that work-related and personal resources may be useful for prolonging working careers.

Practitioner Summary: To date, the impact of work-related and personal resources on older workers' retirement intentions is rarely studied. As this prospective study shows that resources may impact older workers' (prolonged) fatigue, work enjoyment and retirement intentions, the monitoring and fostering of resources is of importance for prolonging their working careers.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1692-1707
Number of pages16
JournalErgonomics
Volume60
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017

Keywords

  • Older worker
  • work-related resources
  • retirement intentions
  • fatigue
  • work enjoyment
  • JOB DEMANDS-RESOURCES
  • MAASTRICHT COHORT
  • PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS
  • AGING WORKFORCE
  • HRM PRACTICES
  • HEALTH
  • EMPLOYEES
  • ABILITY
  • AGE
  • ASSOCIATIONS

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