Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Effects of Age on Job Crafting: Exploring the Motivations and Behavior of Younger and Older Employees in Job Crafting

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Leadership, Innovation and Entrepreneurship as Driving Forces of the Global Economy

Part of the book series: Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics ((SPBE))

Abstract

Purpose: This paper contributes to the job-crafting theory of Wrzesniewski and Dutton (The Academy of Management Review 26(2):179–201, 2001) by exploring the effects of age on job-crafting behaviors (i.e., task crafting, relational crafting, and cognitive crafting) and on job-crafting motivations (i.e., the need for personal control, the desire to create and sustain a positive self-image, and the need for human connection).

Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 younger and 15 older employees (n = 31) at a socially responsible non-profit organization in the Netherlands. The qualitative data were analyzed in two major steps: (1) identifying job-crafting motivations and behaviors in older and younger employees and (2) identifying and comparing the differences in the job-crafting motivations and behaviors between older employees and younger employees.

Findings: We found that both older and younger employees are likely to engage in job-crafting behavior to assert control over their jobs and to create a positive self-image. However, younger employees may have two different motivations (personal control and positive self-image) for engaging in such job-crafting behavior. Whereas both younger and older employees engage the most in task crafting, younger employees are more likely to engage in all three types of job-crafting behavior; additionally, we found that the three different forms of job-crafting behavior of younger employees occur in conjunction with one another.

Research limitations/implications: This study contributes to the original job-crafting model of Wrzesniewski and Dutton (The Academy of Management Review 26(2):179–201, 2001) by including the effect of age in the model, and by demonstrating the importance of studying the three original main job-crafting motivations and behaviors separately from one another.

Practical implications: This paper addresses the multigenerational challenges of the contemporary workforce. It demonstrates that managers may play a pivotal role in stimulating older employees to engage in job-crafting behaviors by informing them about job-crafting strategies and providing them with more opportunities to engage in job crafting.

Originality/value: This paper is original in that it re-examines, refines, and enriches the job-crafting model of Wrzesniewski and Dutton (The Academy of Management Review 26(2):179–201, 2001), which is receiving a growing interest among researchers and business practitioners.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 299.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 379.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 379.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Armstrong-Stassen, M., & Lee, S. H. (2009). The effect of relational age on older Canadian employees’ perceptions of human resource practices and sense of worth to their organization. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 20(8), 1753–1769.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Avery, D. R., McKay, P. F., & Wilson, D. C. (2007). Engaging the aging workforce: The relationship between perceived age similarity, satisfaction with coworkers, and employee engagement. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(6), 1542–1556.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bakker, A. B. (2010). Engagement and “job crafting”: Engaged employees create their own great place to work. In S. L. Albrecht (Ed.), Handbook of employee engagement: Perspectives, issues, research and practice (pp. 229–244). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baltes, P. B., & Smith, J. (2003). New frontiers in the future of aging: From successful aging of the young old to the dilemmas of the fourth age. Gerontology, 49, 123–135.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumeister, R. F. (1982). A self-presentational view of social phenomena. Psychological Bulletin, 91, 3–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117, 497–529.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berg, J. M., Wrzesniewski, A., & Dutton, J. E. (2010). Perceiving and responding to challenges in job crafting at different ranks: When proactivity requires adaptivity. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 31, 1–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berg, J. M., Dutton, J. E., & Wrzesniewski, A. (2008). What is job crafting and why does it matter. Retrieved form the website of Positive Organizational Scholarship on April, 15, 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carstensen, L. L., Pasupathi, M., Mayr, U., & Nesselroade, J. R. (2000). Emotional experience in everyday life across the adult life span. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79, 644–655.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cleveland, J. N., & Shore, L. M. (1992). Self- and supervisory perspectives on age and work attitudes and performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 77, 469–484.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Lange, A. H., Taris, T. W., Jansen, P., Kompier, M. A. J., Houtman, I. L. D., & Bongers, P. M. (2009). On the relationships among work characteristics and learning-related behavior: Does age matter? Journal of Organizational Behavior, 31, 1–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, J. R., Cable, D. M., Williamson, I. O., Schurer Lambert, L., & Shipp, A. J. (2006). The phenomenology of fit: Linking the person and environment to the subjective experience of person environment fit. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91, 802–827.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Erez, M., & Earley, C. (1993). Culture, self-identity and work. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Gruman, J. A., & Saks, A. M. (2011). Performance management and employee engagement. Human Resource Management Review, 21, 123–136.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Finkelstein, L., Burke, M., & Raju, N. (1995). Age discrimination in simulated employment contexts: An integrative analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 80, 652–663.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freund, A. M. (2006). Age-differential motivational consequences of optimization versus compensation focus in younger and older adults. Psychology and Aging, 21(2), 240–252.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Furunes, T., & Mykletun, R. J. (2005). Age management in Norwegian hospitality businesses. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 5, 116–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garg, A. (1991). Ergonomics and the older worker: An overview. Experimental Aging Research, 17(3), 143–155.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldberg, B. (2005). How to become employer of choice for the working retired. In P. T. Beatty & R. M. S. Visser (Eds.), Thriving on an aging workforce: Strategies for organizational and systemic change (pp. 170–178). New York: Krieger Publishing Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hsieh, H. F., & Shannon, S. E. (2005). Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research, 15(9), 1277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ilmarinen, J. (2001). Aging workers. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 58, 546–552.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kanfer, R., & Ackerman, P. L. (2004). Aging, adult development, and work motivation. The Academy of Management Review, 29(3), 440–458.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kooij, D., de Lange, A., Jansen, P., & Dikkers, J. (2009). Older workers’ motivation to continue to work: Five meanings of age. A conceptual review. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 23(4), 364–394.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lang, F. R., & Carstensen, L. (2002). Time counts: Future time perspective, goals and social relationships. Psychology and Aging, 17, 125–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence, B. (1990). At the crossroads: A multiple-level explanation of individual attainment. Organization Science, 1, 65–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leana, C., Appelbaum, E., & Shevchuk, I. (2009). Work process and quality of care in early childhood education: The role of job crafting. Academy of Management, 52, 1–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyons, P. (2008). The crafting of jobs and individual differences. Journal of Business and Psychology, 23, 25–36.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McAdams, D. P., St. Aubin, E. D., & Logan, R. L. (1993). Generativity among young, midlife, and older adults. Psychology and Aging, 8(2), 221–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maurer, T. J. (2001). Career—relevant learning and development, worker age, and beliefs about self-efficacy for development. Journal of Management, 27, 123–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nahapiet, J., & Ghoshal, S. (1998). Social capital, intellectual capital, and the organizational advantage. Academy of Management Review, 23, 242–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, J. K. (1995). Just a temp: Experience and structure of alienation in temporary employment. Work and Occupations, 22, 137–166.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2007). Research methods for business students (5th ed.). Harlow: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steele, C. M. (1988). The psychology of self-affirmation: Sustaining the integrity of the self. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Social psychological studies of the self: Perspectives and programs, Vol. 21, pp. 261–302). San Diego: Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tims, M., Bakker, A. B., & Derks, D. (2013). The impact of job crafting on job demands, job resources and well-being. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 18(2), 230–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tims, M., Bakker, A. B., Derks, D., & van Rhenen, W. (2013). Job crafting at the team and individual level: Implications for work engagement and performance. Group and Organization Management, 38, 427–454.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, H. M., Parker, S. K., & Turner, N. (2007). Perceived dissimilarity and perspective taking within work teams. Group Organization Management, 32, 569–597.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wrzesniewski, A., & Dutton, J. E. (2001). Revisioning employees as active crafters of their work. The Academy of Management Review, 26(2), 179–201.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wrzesniewski, A., Dutton, J. E., & Debebe, G. (2003). Interpersonal sensemaking and the meaning of work. Research in Organizational Behavior, 25, 93–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yeatts, D. E., & Hyten, C. (1998). High-performing self-managed work teams: A comparison of theory to practice. Newbury, CA: Sage.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Yeatts, D. E., Folts, W. E., & Knapp, J. (2000). Older workers’ adaptation to a changing workplace: Employment issues for the 21st century. Educational Gerontology, 26, 565–582.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Canadian University of Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Sabrine El Baroudi

  2. VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Svetlana N. Khapova

Authors
  1. Sabrine El Baroudi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Svetlana N. Khapova
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sabrine El Baroudi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

    Rachid Benlamri

  2. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA

    Michael Sparer

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this paper

Cite this paper

Baroudi, S.E., Khapova, S.N. (2017). The Effects of Age on Job Crafting: Exploring the Motivations and Behavior of Younger and Older Employees in Job Crafting. In: Benlamri, R., Sparer, M. (eds) Leadership, Innovation and Entrepreneurship as Driving Forces of the Global Economy. Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43434-6_42

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation