Perceived age discrimination in the workplace: the mediating roles of job resources and demands
Journal of Managerial Psychology
ISSN: 0268-3946
Article publication date: 25 May 2021
Issue publication date: 14 July 2021
Abstract
Purpose
With a growing number of older workers in the labor force, cultivating an age-friendly working environment becomes increasingly important. Inspired by the job demands–resources (JD-R) model, this study aims to investigate whether the negative effects of perceived age discrimination (PAD) on work-related outcomes would be explained by job resources and demands.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 333 Hong Kong Chinese employees aged 40 and above (M = 46.62, SD = 6.21; 60% female) completed an online survey that covered measures on workplace age discrimination, job resources and demands, work engagement, intention to stay and work strain.
Findings
PAD at work was associated with reduced job resources and increased job demands. The results of the mediation analyses showed support from supervisor and coworkers could account for the effects of PAD on work engagement and intention to stay, whereas emotional demand or workload could explain the effects of PAD on work engagement and work strain.
Practical implications
The findings of this research unveil the underlying mechanisms between age discrimination and work-related outcomes through job resources and job demands. Cultivating a supportive organizational climate toward older employees and offering awareness-based training programs are necessary to mitigate age biases in the workplace.
Originality/value
Building on the JD-R model, this study revealed the possible mechanism underlying the negative effects of PAD. Perceptions of age discrimination decrease older workers' job resources and increase their job demands, subsequently lower their work engagement and intention to stay and increase their work strain.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the Strategic Research Grant from City University of Hong Kong (Project No.: 7004954), which was awarded to the first author. The authors thank Mr. Edwin Chung for his kind assistance in data analyses.
Citation
Yeung, D.Y., Zhou, X. and Chong, S. (2021), "Perceived age discrimination in the workplace: the mediating roles of job resources and demands", Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 36 No. 6, pp. 505-519. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMP-04-2020-0185
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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