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Determinants of Work Motivation and Work Satisfaction among Kibbutz Aged Workers

Publication: Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
September 1992

Abstract

The paper first explains why industrial societies will shortly need to increase their labour force by including persons of post current retirement age. It then presents two contrasted hypotheses to explain older workers' satisfaction with, and motivation in their work roles: Hypothesis (a), a “focus on compensation” which suggests that older workers seek compensation for deterioration in their sensory-motor potentials; Hypothesis (b), a “focus on relative advantage” which suggests that older workers seek to exploit their relative advantages, namely, their cognitive-emotional abilities and potentials. Reactions would be affected more by opportunities for satisfaction of psychological, higher order needs rather than opportunities for satisfying bodily needs. Validity of Hypothesis (b) is tested by a study of kibbutz workers (235) distributed about equally between the two genders and among three age groups (45-57; 58-67; 68 and over). Results of the analyses support Hypothesis (b) and its derivations. Older workers desire job characteristics that offer opportunities for satisfaction of higher order psychological needs more than they desire characteristics that offer better physical conditions and convenience at work. The former characteristics explain more than the latter characteristics, variance in “satisfaction with work” and variance in “motivation to contribute to job.” The discussion ends with suggestions for further study to answer questions such as: how and when to train workers to prepare them for jobs appropriate at very advanced ages beyond the currently normative retirement age; what should be the structure of jobs fit for older workers; how should they be integrated in work organizations with younger workers; where should the locus of decision regarding these questions be?

Résumé

Dans cet article on explique d'abord pourquoi les sociétés industrielles devront bientôt augmenter leur force de travail en faisant appel à des personnes dépassant l'âge courant de la retraite. On y présente ensuite deux hypothèses contrastées pour expliquer la satisfaction et la motivation des travailleurs plus âgés dans leur rôle de travailleur. L'hypothèse (a), «la centration sur la compensation», suggère que les travailleurs plus âgés cherchent à compenser la détérioration de leur potentiel sensori-moteur. L'hypothèse (b), «la centration sur les avantages relatifs», suggère plutôt que les travailleurs plus âgés cherchent à utiliser leurs avantages relatifs, soit leur potentiel et habiletés cognitifs-émotionnels. Leurs réactions devraient être stimulées davantage par les occasions de satisfaire des besoins psychologiques plus élevés que par des occasions pour satisfaires des besoins corporels. La validité de l'hypothése (b) a été testée auprés d'une population de travailleurs (235) de kibboutz répartis également entre les deux sexes et dans trois groupes d'âges (45-57, 58-67, 68+). L'analyse des résultats confirme l'hypothèse (b) et ses corollaires. Les travaileurs plus âgés veulent des conditions de travail qui offrent des occasions de satisfaire des besoins psychologiques d'ordre plus élevé davantage qu'ils ne veulent un travail favorisant de meilleurs conditions physiques ou matérielles. Les premiéres expliquent davantage que les secondes la variance de la motivation positive au travail. La section discussion se termine sur des pistes de recherches pouvant répondre à des questions comme: Comment et quand former les travailleurs pour les préparer à un travail adapté à un âge plus avancé que l'âge courant de la retraite? Quelle doit être la structure adéquate des postes de travail pour les travailleurs plus âgés? Comment peut on les intégrer avec les travailleurs plus jeunes dans l'organisation du travail? Oú devrait se situer le centre de décision à propos de ces questions?

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cover image Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health
Volume 11Number 2September 1992
Pages: 49 - 64

History

Version of record online: 6 May 2009

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Uriel Leviatan

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