The influence of age on perceptions of relationship quality and performance in care service work teams
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01425451211183255 |
| Published date | 11 November 2011 |
| Pages | 44-60 |
| Date | 11 November 2011 |
| Author | Franz Josef Gellert,René Schalk |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour |
The influence of age on
perceptions of relationship
quality and performance in care
service work teams
Franz Josef Gellert
Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Groningen, The Netherlands, and
Rene
´Schalk
Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
Abstract
Purpose – This paper seeks to examine age-related perceptions of the quality of relationships at
work and performance in mentally and physically demanding care service work settings.
Design/methodology/approach – The study was conducted in six residential homes for the
elderly in Germany. Data of 150 respondents were analyzed using multiple hierarchical regression and
mediation tests. The mediating role of relationship quality in the relationship between age and
employee performance was examined.
Findings – It was found that older employees experienced better exchange relationships with their
supervisors, and that this mediated the relationship between age and job satisfaction.
Research limitations/implications – The sample is female dominated. Organizations are in
transition from conventional organizational structure to team structure with employees’ high company
and job tenure.
Practical implications – A higher relationship quality suggests a higher quality of older workers’
job appraisal, which might be a starting point for older followers to rethink career perspectives and
start further individual development.
Originality/value – The findings extend earlier studies and provide more insight into the
relationship between age, relationship quality, and employee performance from a follower’s
point-of-view.
Keywords Age-related percept ions, Employee performance, Rel ationship quality,
Care service workteams, Individual perception, Employeerelations, Social care, Germany,Age groups
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
In 2050, more than 40 percent of the European working population will be above the
age of 50 (Eurostat, 2009). This prospect makes it important to study how older
employees in work teams can accomplish their tasks properly (Walker, 2006). It also
raises questions, for practical and theoretical reasons, as to how younger and older
workers experience the quality of relationships at work, and how this impacts
performance (Ng and Feldman, 2008; Green et al., 2006; Graen, 2003). The quality of a
relationship is associated with how much effort parties involved mutually put into the
relationship (Schyns et al., 2008; Uhl-Bien, 2006). It is important to know whether
age-related perceptions on relationship quality determine the relationship as one of
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DOI 10.1108/01425451211183255
cooperation or of resistance (Smith and Harrington, 1994). Cooperation between team
members and the quality of the exchange with the supervisor is important in care
service work settings since these settings, beca use of an increasing patient
(resident)-to-nurse ratio, are considered as stressful and demanding (Aiken et al.,
2002; Le Blanc et al., 2001). Good quality relationships at work are also associated with
the latitude, as an individual or as a team, to autonomously decide on how everyday
problems can be solved (Artistico et al., 2003). We argue that in care service
organizations/work settings the examination of the influence of age on perceptions of
relationship quality therefore deserves specific attention. This would add to the limited
body of knowledge in this area (Hiller and Day, 2003; Schyns et al., 2008; Green et al.,
2006). We focus on relationships at work, among which leader-member exchange is
included (LMX: Graen and Uhl-Bien, 1995; Hogg et al., 2004; Graen, 2003). According to
Hogg et al. (2004), the quality of interactions is likely to be affected by age.
Additionally, age-related perceptions on relationship quality influence employee
outcomes (performance) positively (Bernerth et al., 2008; Borchgrevink, 2004).
Instead of being considered a “control variable”, age is increasingly regarded a core
factor in interactions between individuals in groups or teams (Morgan and Kunkel,
2001). To examine how age-related perceptions influence the relationship quality at
work and how this affects employee performance, the current research addresses the
following research questions:
RQ1. Does age influence perceptions of relationship quality at work (in terms of
respect, cooperation, autonomy and LMX)?
RQ2. Do perceptions of relationship quality influence employee performance (in
terms of task performance, job satisfaction and stress)?
RQ3. Do perceptions of relationship quality mediate the influence of age on
employee performance?
Beside relationship quality components related to team processes, such as respect,
cooperation and autonomy, the relationship with the supervisor (LMX: Graen and
Uhl-Bien, 1995) is included. The current study extends existing theories on how
age-related perceptions influence relationship quality and performance in care service
work teams (Graen and Uhl-Bien, 1995; Perry et al., 1999; Hogg, 2001; Graen, 2003;
Avery et al., 2007).
The research has been conducted in residential homes for the elderly in northern
Germany. Management of residential homes for the elderly in Germany faces
difficulties in dealing with aging employees. Since these organizations rely on
smoothly running processes, they are expected to have a high level of relationship
quality. In addition, there are calls for studies on LMX in German (contact and labor
intensive) work settings (Schyns, 2004).
This paper is structured as follows: It starts by presenting a conceptual framework
and discussing theories on the relationship between age and relationship quality
and employee performance. This is followed by the methodology, the results section
and a discussion of findings. Finally, theoretical and practical implications are
discussed.
The influence
of age on
perceptions
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