Suchergebnisse

Highlighting how both leader and follower stress and well-being can serve as antecedents and consequences of strategic actions and initiatives, or even be a core concern of strategic plans, this volume spotlights the importance of stress and well-being for organizations, their leaders, and the individuals who are impacted by their decisions.

Abstract
In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic and other global crises have significantly affected the lives of older adults, impacting their healthcare, social connections, and daily routines. While the increasing digitization and automation of services offer benefits such as remote healthcare access and reduced isolation, these technologies also pose challenges in terms of unfamiliarity, learning curves, and privacy and security concerns. Addressing these issues requires a collaborative approach across various fields, including health informatics, gerontology, social psychology, human–computer interaction, and cybersecurity and privacy. Understanding the cognitive, emotional, and sociocultural factors influencing older adults' use of technologies is crucial for creating inclusive and accessible digital tools. This multidisciplinary effort, as highlighted in the special issue of Work, Aging and Retirement, aims to enhance our understanding of aging and technology in today's world, empowering older adults to remain connected and maintain their well-being.

AbstractTechnological advancements continue to result in fundamental changes to the work itself and the workplace. Although these changes can create challenges for older workers, older workers can draw from individual and contextual resources to maintain and enhance their wellbeing, motivation, and capacities, and thus achieving successful aging at work. These articles in this special issue characterize the different psychological mechanisms underlying workers' responses to technological changes in the workplace, such as automation, digitization, and use of information and communications technologies. Integrating the findings from these articles, along with the existing theoretical models of successful aging at work, we propose a socio-ecological approach to guide future research on older workers' adaptation to technological changes.

Automation continues to be a disruptive force in the workforce. In particular, new automated technologies are projected to replace many mid-skill jobs, potentially displacing millions of workers. Career planning agencies and other organizations can help support workers if they are able to effectively identify optimal transition occupations for displaced workers. We drew upon the 24.2 Occupational Information Network (O*NET) Database to conduct two related studies that identify alternate occupations for truck drivers, who are at risk of job loss due to the adoption of autonomous vehicles. In Study 1, we statistically compared the jobs that we identified based on different search methods using O*NET classifications based on their similarity to the knowledge, skills, values, and interests held by truck drivers. In Study 2, we conducted a survey of truck drivers to evaluate their perceptions of the occupations identified as objectively similar to their occupation. Results indicate that optimal transition occupations may be identified by searching for occupations that share skills as well as the same work activities/industry as a given occupation. These findings hold further implications for career planning organizations and policymakers to ease workforce disruption due to automation.

Abstract
The increasing adoption of automation will likely replace the tasks performed in many jobs, resulting in new challenges for workers. Yet, little is known regarding how workers perceive automation, including how it may influence their job attitudes and turnover intentions. Automated vehicles (AVs) are one example of new technology poised to alter the job of truck driving, which is overwhelmingly populated by older workers. In this study, we examined truck drivers', supervisors', and managers' attitudes and concerns about AV adoption and its effects on driving jobs to help the transportation industry prepare for automation with minimal workforce disruption. We drew from theorizing on self-interest in economics and lifespan coping theories to contextualize workers' reactions to automation. We conducted focus groups and interviews with truck drivers (N = 18), supervisors of drivers (N = 8), and upper-level managers of trucking companies (N = 25). Two themes emerged from the thematic analysis: the unknown, and proficiency. AVs may be viewed as threatening by drivers, causing anxiety due to widespread uncertainty and the fear of job loss and loss of control. At the same time, there will be a greater need for drivers to be adaptable for the era of AVs. AVs are also likely to result in other changes to the role of driving, which may have implications for driver recruitment and selection. We interpret our findings together with lifespan theories of control and coping and provide recommendations for organizations to effectively prepare for automation in the trucking industry.

Abstract
Older adults' smartphone use has been shown to be a double-edged sword, linked to health and social benefits but also creating vulnerabilities. Similarly, the use of smartphones and other information and communication technologies (ICTs) in organizations also affords workers advantages, such as increased flexibility, while exposing them to risks such as exhaustion and distress. This research examines older workers' smartphone use and identifies a contextual characteristic that may buffer the negative implications of smartphone use for work purposes. Following the job demands–resources (JD-R) model, we hypothesized that older workers' daily work-related smartphone use is positively related to their experienced stress and negatively related to their mood, and that these relationships would be attenuated by work scheduling autonomy. We conducted an experience sampling method (ESM) study with a sample of 38 workers (ages 50–64) who completed daily measures over 8 days, and tracked their smartphone use objectively using screenshots of time spent using various apps. Contrary to our expectations, smartphone use was not significantly related to stress or mood. There were significant cross-level interactions, such that smartphone use for work was negatively related to experienced stress and positively related to a positive mood for those with lower levels of scheduling autonomy. We interpret these findings and discuss the effects that technology use for work may have on older workers' well-being through the lens of the JD-R model. Our results suggest that ICT use in the workplace combined with work scheduling autonomy may not be advantageous for workers' well-being.