A Potential-Oriented Perspective on Aging across the Working Lifespan

Considering decreasing birth rates and increasing rates of life expectancy, the workforce is rapidly aging – resulting in a more age-diverse labor market. So far, research in IWO-psychology has not fully addressed age-related constructs and issues of new work with longitudinal methods representing changes over time more adequately. To enhance predictions for a rapidly aging workforce, this research focuses on the influence of the potentials of actively aging individuals on frequently cited attitudes and behaviors over the working life span. The results suggest that a more differentiated view of age is partially effective in reducing the probability of turnover intention among IT-employees over time, the age-entrepreneurship relation can be clarified by focusing on the inconsistencies of age and the dimensions of human capital partly contribute to engaging in postretirement work. The outcomes have implications regarding the temporality of aging, entrepreneurial generational identity, calling to work and residuals about postretirement work. Qualitative follow-up research addressing the reasons for turnover intention and work activities retirees experienced as calling seems promising. About the author Sabine Richter-Trummer was awarded her PhD at the Chair of Work and Organizational Psychology at the Bundeswehr University Munich. Together with Prof. Sonja Sackmann, she investigated the influence of aging on employee retention using longitudinal studies.