Intergenerational Climate and Work Engagement: The Mediating Role of Perceived Age Discrimination in a Sample of Older Workers

ABSTRACT

Given that different generations can be found in the workplace, due to the increase of work life cycle, research regarding the impact of intergenerational climate and perceived age discrimination on work engagement is of relevance, especially among older workers, as those most impacted by age discrimination. The objective of this study was to investigate intergenerational climate and work engagement, and whether this relationship is mediated by age discrimination. The hypotheses were tested in a sample of 201 Portuguese workers with 45 or more years of age, by means of regression. Findings showed that intergenerational inclusiveness and affect, retention and intergenerational affect, and generational stereotypes are negatively related to perceived age discrimination. Furthermore, work engagement seems to only be positively impacted by intergenerational inclusiveness and affect. Age discrimination did not act as a mediator. Theoretical and practical implications to human resources management strategies in organizations are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Intergenerational climate
• workplace age discrimination
• work engagement
• older workers

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Authors contribution statement

• Priscila Gomes: writing – original draft (lead); formal analysis (lead); writing – review and editing.

• Isabel Miguel: conceptualization (lead), formal analysis; writing – review and editing.

• Ana Hernández: formal analysis; writing – review and editing.

Contribution to the Field

This paper contributes to research on the Workplace Intergenerational Climate Scale, developed by King and Bryant (2017), suggesting developments for better assessment of intergenerational climate, especially regarding intergenerational contact and intergenerational inclusiveness and affect.

It further contributes to intergenerational climate research, investigating relationships between intergenerational climate and work engagement, which is a novelty in research.

It also contributes to practice, as it evidences that covert age discrimination is relevant when thinking about interventions related to age discrimination and intergenerational climate.

Data availability statement

Research data are not shared.

Ethics approval statement

The study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and the Portuguese Psychologists’ Code of Ethics. The study did not involve experimental protocols.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained after the nature and possible consequences of the study were fully explained.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.