Extending the understanding of bridge employment: a critical analysis

Date05 November 2018
Pages1345-1361
Published date05 November 2018
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/PR-10-2016-0276
AuthorBishakha Mazumdar,Amy M. Warren,Kathryne E. Dupré
Subject MatterHR & organizational behaviour,Global HRM
Extending the understanding
of bridge employment:
a critical analysis
Bishakha Mazumdar and Amy M. Warren
Faculty of Business,
Memorial University of Newfoundland, St Johns, Canada, and
Kathryne E. Dupré
Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
Abstract
Purpose Few studies aim to uniquely conceptualize the experiences of bridge employees after they enter
the workforce. Supported by the psychological contract theory and the self-determination theory, the purpose
of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of the bridge employment experience by examining how
the expectations of bridge employees shape their experiences.
Design/methodology/approach This paper first reviews the extant literature on bridge employment. It
then discusses the psychological contract theory and the self-determination theory, and examines the
expectations of bridge employees through the theoretical perspectives of these two theories, to examine
experiences in bridge employment.
Findings Discord in the bridge employment relationship may be attributed to a lack of understanding of
the implicit expectations of bridge employees. More specifically, unmet expectations may be detrimental to
the bridge employment experience, and ultimately jeopardize both employer and employee outcomes.
Research limitations/implications This paper examines expectations and experiences of bridge
employees from a theoretical perspective. Theoretical tenets are utilized to analyze how and why implicit
expectations may influence bridge employees in ways that result in detrimental outcomes for both employers
and employees.
Practical implications This paper sheds light o n why bridge employment arrangement s may result in
adverse outcomes. Spe cifically, when there i s a lack of understanding between bridge employe es
expectations and expe riences, both individual and orga nizational outcomes may be impaire d. An improved
understanding of the bri dge employment experience will like ly result in an enhanced working rela tionship
between bridge employe es and employers, and m inimize misundersta ndings about this coho rt of the
workforce.
Originality/value Using the guidelines of the psychological contract theory and the self-determination
theory, we develop a model to examine how expectation of bridge employees may affect the experiences and
ultimately, the outcomes of bridge employment. The authors also identify factors uniquely applicable to
bridge employees. This is the first paper that examines the experiences of bridge employees through such
theoretical perspectives.
Keywords Retirement, Self-determination theory, Older workers, Critical, Bridge employment,
Psychological contract theory, Unmet expectations
Paper type Conceptual paper
Although workforce ageing is always both practically and theoretically relevant, currently, a
declining birthrate has resulted in a situation where individuals between 52- and70-years old
are the largest population cohort (Shultz and Adams, 2007). This has given rise to an aging
population, and thus an aging workforce. Workforce ageing means that the proportion of
older workers relative to younger workers is growing rapidly. An ageing workforce is
contributing to the increase in the elderly dependency ratio (i.e. the approximate number of
retirees perworker) across the world (Ortman et al., 2014).While various innovative strategies
have been suggested to address this dependency issue (including tactics such as increasing
birth rates and attracting immigrant workers), promoting longer working lives by
encouragingretirees back to the workforce hasbeen advocated by many as a viable optionto
Personnel Review
Vol. 47 No. 7, 2018
pp. 1345-1361
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0048-3486
DOI 10.1108/PR-10-2016-0276
Received 12 October 2016
Revised 14 April 2017
14 November 2017
16 February 2018
Accepted 21 April 2018
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0048-3486.htm
1345
Bridge
employment
combat this issue(e.g. Armstrong-Stassen,2008). Prolonging working livesinvolves making it
easier to continue working after the age where one might normally retire permanently
from the workforce (e.g. approximately 65-years old), and one way to do this is through
bridge employment.
Bridge employment, or re-entry into the workforce by retirees, is a type of employment
that bridges the gap between a career job and complete withdrawal from the labor market.
Bridge employment is categorized into two primary types based on career field: career
bridge employment (i.e. engaging in bridge employment in the same industry or field as the
career job) and bridge employment in a different field (Feldman, 1994; Shultz, 2003).
Additionally, depending on the type of work arrangement retirees engage in, bridge
employment may be categorized as a flexible work arrangement where bridge employees
have an ongoing (i.e. non-temporary) relationship with the pre-retirement organization, or as
contingent bridge employment where employees have a sporadic (i.e. temporary) work
arrangement with either the pre-retirement organization or another organization
(Mariappanadar, 2013). Although researchers have started to focus on bridge
employment, this emergent employment domain warrants further critical analysis.
For the most part, researchers have yet to focus on employee experiences in bridge
employment (Armstrong-Stassen et al., 2012). Moreover, given social, health and labor
changes that have resulted in labor shortages in particular areas, and concurrent
government policy to promote longer working lives, bridge employment needs to be better
understood for the sake of retaining and attracting (or potentially re-attracting) retirees to
address human resource demands (Alcover et al., 2014; Mariappanadar, 2013; Saba and
Guerin, 2005; Shacklock and Brunetto, 2011).
The study of experiences within the context of bridge employment differs from the
standard employment context, as several unique factors likely influence bridge employees.
First (although the age boundary between work and the end of work is diminishing; see
Arthur and Rousseau, 1996), bridge employees tend to be over 50-years old (Feldman, 1994);
second, they tend to have extensive experience in a previous career; and lastly, they have
passed through a transition period in their work life in the form of retirement. Research on
the motives of retirees to remain active in the labor market is evolving (Kooij et al., 2015).
A study by Warren and Kelloway (2010) indicated that norms, financial situation and love of
ones job are some of the predictors of employeesintentions to work longer. Because people
re-enter the workforce after retirement for various reasons, employers should consider
potential employeesintentions and expectations in an effort to maximize the value of their
human capital (Warren and Kelloway, 2010).
A small stream of research in the bridge employment domain has examined the
motives and expectations of employers in hiring bridge employees, and of employees in
engaging in bridge employment (Conen et al., 2012; Heyma et al., 2014; Rau and Adams,
2005). Existing research suggests that there is a gap between what each of the parties
brings to the job contract: sometimes in the form of explicit conditions, and sometimes as
implicit expectations (Feldman and Kim, 2000). Current research also supports the
proposition that the work-related needs of bridgeemployees may not be met ( Feldman and
Kim, 2000), which has implications for their work motivation and overall well-being.
Employees need autonomy, competence and social relationships (Deci and Ryan, 2000),
and the very nature of bridge employment implies that such needs may not always be met.
What one expects and needs, vs what one actually experiences in employment upon
re-entering the workplace as a bridge employee, forms the foundation of the analysis
presented in this manuscript.
In this paper, we argue that the expectations and experiences of bridge employees might
be unique when compared to other employees. For example, bridge employees have passed
through important life transition periods and decision-making phases through leaving work
1346
PR
47,7

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT