Person–Environment Fit and Work Satisfaction: Exploring the Conditional Effects of Age

Abstract

Abstract Person–environment (PE) fit, a broad constellation of constructs related to an individual’s congruence with their work environment, is of great interest to research and practice given its implications for positive work outcomes and sustainable employment. Informed by a life-span perspective, particularly socioemotional selectivity theory, the present studies investigated potential age-conditional effects of PE fit types (person–job [PJ], person–group [PG], and person–organization [PO] fit) on work satisfaction. In two studies, a policy-capturing approach was used in which participants read a series of work scenario vignettes and then rated their hypothetical work satisfaction in these scenarios. In Study 1, these cues varied by fit type and levels of fit (i.e., low, medium, high), while in Study 2, they varied by fit type and level in addition to goal type (i.e., socioemotional, instrumental). It was expected that PJ fit would be more important for work satisfaction of relatively younger participants and PO fit would be more important for relatively older participants; potential age-conditional PG effects were explored as well. Findings provided support for the assumption that PO fit is more important for older individuals’ work satisfaction, while PJ and PG fit manifested mixed results; moreover, we did not find significant effects of goal type as anticipated in Study 2. These results are interpreted in light of existing theory, and future research directions and potential applications are discussed.