Marie-Eve Dufour, Tania Saba and Felix Ballesteros Leiva
In the context of population aging, retirement has become a central issue in academic, professional and government discourse. A consensus can be seen to be emerging around the…
Abstract
Purpose
In the context of population aging, retirement has become a central issue in academic, professional and government discourse. A consensus can be seen to be emerging around the idea of postponing retirement in favor of promoting active aging. From this perspective, the purpose of this study, using work-role attachment theory and met expectations theory, is to focus on the pre-retirement period and aims to better understand how certain individual factors and expectations explain the planned age of retirement.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was administered in 2015 to employees aged 45 and over working at a Canadian firm in the high-technology sector.
Findings
The results show that career commitment, attachment to work and expectations relating to workplace adjustments prior to retirement were positively associated with planned retirement age, whereas expectations relating to professional development showed a negative association with this variable.
Practical implications
This study fits into a line of research focusing on the end-of-career period and sheds light on the decision to retire by looking closely at the impact of employment conditions and human resource management practices on this decision. In a labor market context marked by high numbers of workers aged 55 and older, combined with the increasingly critical need for skilled labor and considering the expectations of workers leading up to their retirement could help to better plan these workers' end-of-career period.
Originality/value
Many studies have examined the characteristics of retirees after retirement. The authors’ study is one of the few that examines the aspirations of workers between the ages of 45 and 55 who are still employed but are beginning to consider their retirement plans, including the decision to continue working longer. Its originality also lies in combining work-role attachment theory and met expectations theory.
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Sylvie St-Onge, Victor Y. Haines III, Felix Ballesteros-Leiva and Gwénaëlle Poilpot-Rocaboy
Based on the conservation of resources (COR) theory (Hobfoll, 1989, 2002), this study first investigates the direct influence of core self-evaluations (CSEs) on work-to-family…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on the conservation of resources (COR) theory (Hobfoll, 1989, 2002), this study first investigates the direct influence of core self-evaluations (CSEs) on work-to-family (W → F) and family-to-work (F → W) conflicts. Second, it tests the mediating impact of Social support from work and home domains in the associations between CSEs and both directions of work-family conflict. This study finally examines the moderating influence of CSEs in the associations between work and home domain social support and both directions of work-family conflict.
Design/methodology/approach
Human resources professionals (629), and engineers (169) employed in Canada completed an online survey. Both directions of work-family conflict were measured as well as CSEs, and work and home domain social support.
Findings
Results indicate that higher CSEs are associated with lower W → F and F → W conflicts. They also suggest an indirect association between CSEs and W → F conflict through supervisor support. The indirect association between CSEs and F → W conflict through home domain social support was also supported. Besides, it appears that CSEs moderate the association between home support and F → W conflict.
Research limitations/implications
Our findings underscore the relevance of considering both dispositional and environmental factors together in work-life research. Results question within- vs. cross-domain conceptualizations of work-life spillover. They also indicate how both differential choice and effectiveness operate in conjunction with managing work-life domains.
Originality/value
The research presents a comprehensive model linking work-family conflict, social support and CSEs. It draws from an integrative personality framework (Judge et al., 1998) and COR theory (Hobfoll, 1989) to explore the underlying processes of CSEs, often inferred but not specified or incorporated into work-life research.
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Felix Ballesteros-Leiva, Gwénaëlle Poilpot-Rocaboy and Sylvie St-Onge
The purpose of this paper is to explore the relations between the life-domain interactions (i.e. interactions between the personal and professional lives) of internationally…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the relations between the life-domain interactions (i.e. interactions between the personal and professional lives) of internationally mobile employees (IMEs) and their well-being and to examine whether these links are different for assigned expatriates (AEs) and self-initiated expatriates (SIEs).
Design/methodology/approach
Questionnaire data were collected from 284 IMEs including 182 SIEs, and 102 AEs. Two measures of IMEs’ well-being were used: subjective, namely satisfaction with life, and psychological well-being (PWB), which refers to self-acceptance, personal growth, and reaching for life goals. Life-domain interactions were measured from a conflict and an enrichment perspective, each in two directions: Work Life → Personal Life (WL → PL) and Personal Life → Work Life (PL → WL).
Findings
Regression analyses confirm that IMEs’ life-domain conflicts (WL → PL and PL → WL) have an adverse impact on their subjective and PWB, IMEs’ life-domain enrichments account for their subjective well-being over and above what is explained by their life-domain conflicts, the relationship between WL → PL conflicts and subjective well-being is more negative among SIEs than among AEs.
Practical implications
This study underscores the need for both employers and IMEs to take action not only to reduce conflicts but also to promote enrichments between their personal and their professional lives. It is of particular importance to reduce the WL → PL conflict of SIEs, often left to fend for themselves, because it has a significant negative impact on their subjective well-being.
Originality/value
This study innovates in using conservation of resources theory and recent theoretical work linking this theory with the interplay between personal and professional lives to understanding SIEs’ and AEs’ well-being.