Development and Validation of the Later Life Workplace Index for Successful Management of an Aging Workforce

Activity: Talk or presentationConference PresentationsResearch

Anne Marit Wöhrmann - presenter

Max Reinhard Wilckens - Coauthor

Julia Finsel - Coauthor

Jürgen Deller - Coauthor

Fed by the demographic change the share of older workers among the European workforce increases rapidly. Better health status of older workers and the political ambition to relieve pension systems drive extended working lives. Consequently, organizations have to deal with increased age diversity and specific demands by older workers. In order to summarize and describe appropriate organizational practices and working conditions for older workers nearing retirement age and beyond, we developed and operationalized the Later Life Work Index. It is based on qualitative interviews in Germany (Wöhrmann, Deller, & Pundt, 2018) and evidence
from the “Age Smart Employer Award” in New York City. The index contains nine dimensions covering age-friendly organizational culture and leadership, as well as more specific age-friendly practices regarding work design, health management, individual development, knowledge management, transition to retirement, continued employment options and health and retirement coverage.
We operationalized and validated the index in multiple studies. We first developed an extensive item pool based on pre-studies with human resource representatives from 30 to 56 companies in Germany. Secondly, EFAs were conducted on responses from 600 employees of all industries to form a compact, reliable and valid scale. Third, we cross-validated results against convergent and criterion variables in a third sample of 350 older workers. Fourth, we administered the scales in 50 organizations in Germany with 900 older workers, managers and human resource representatives in total to proof a shared within-organization perception of the index and a valid
measurement on the organizational level. Finally, the scales were translated and back-translated to English by two independent English-German bilinguals and are currently cross-validated among older workers in the United States.
The index can be assessed by 80 items in total, showing good to acceptable CFA model fit and reliabilities. The validation proofs sufficient independence from positive and negative affect, as
well as discriminant validity among the index dimensions. Moreover, criterion validity proves effects on e.g. older workers’ commitment towards the organization, stress level and perceived health status. So far, the validation of the developed LLWI scale is limited to individual level criterions. However, we continue the organizational study to validate the effects on organizational level outcomes such as performance, illness absence and turnover.
The index allows organizations to self-assess their capabilities and opportunities for improvement regarding employment of older workers in a straightforward and low-effort manner. Individual dimensions of the index may serve researchers as a standardized and validated measure to evaluate interventions in specific research areas. We will present and discuss the index and its operationalization and are eager to show a validated English version to facilitate the application of the index in different cultural settings.
04.09.2020

Event

14th European Academy of Occupational Health Psychology Conference: Promoting healthy and sustainable work

02.09.2004.09.20

Nicosia, Cyprus

Event: Conference

Recently viewed

Publications

  1. A Sensitive Microsystem as Biosensor for Cell Growth Monitoring and Antibiotic Testing
  2. Estimated substitution elasticities of a nested CES production function approach for Germany
  3. Phase Shift APOD and POD Control Technique in Multi-Level Inverters to Mitigate Total Harmonic Distortion
  4. Short run comovement, persistent shocks and the business cycle
  5. Das John-Stuart-Mill-Problem
  6. A matrix of evaluation and comparsion of Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) software tools to facilitate understanding and appreciation
  7. Vergütung, variable
  8. Augmented space
  9. Ob lang oder kurz, berührbar oder nicht: Ist die Längenschätzkompetenz eindimensional?
  10. Same but different? Measurement invariance of the PIAAC motivation-to-learn scale across key socio-demographic groups
  11. Using density surface models to assess the ecological effectiveness of a protected area network in Tanzania
  12. Paired case research design and mixed-methods approach
  13. How data on transformation products can support the redesign of sulfonamides towards better biodegradability in the environment
  14. Introduction
  15. Active suspensions decoupling by algebraic feedback
  16. Embedded, not plugged-in
  17. Current and New Research Perspectives on Dynamic Facial Emotion Detection in Emotional Interface
  18. Visions of Process—Swarm Intelligence and Swarm Robotics in Architectural Design and Construction
  19. Assuring a safe, secure and sustainable space environment for space activities
  20. Germany Humboldt University in Berlin: Its Transformation in the Process of German Unification
  21. Water quantity and quality in the Zerafshan river basin - only an upstream riparian problem?
  22. The Effect of Solid Solute and Precipitate Phase on Young's Modulus of Binary Mg–RE Alloys
  23. Effect of laser peening process parameters and sequences on residual stress profiles
  24. Methodology for Integrating Biomimetic Beams in Abstracted Topology Optimization Results
  25. Brain Drain
  26. Way out of the Supply Crises through Risk Minimization - Metrological Comparison of two Polypropylene Materials and Examination with Six Sigma Methods