Beyond Chronological Age

Work and organizational psychology researchers often rely on chronological age to predict interindividual differences in work outcomes. Yet, chronological age is not an explanatory variable and does not capture how people think and feel about their age and the process of aging. In this chapter, we present three alternative age constructs that have been shown to predict work and organizational outcomes beyond chronological age: subjective age, essentialist beliefs about aging, as well as age group vs. generation identity. We summarize the most recent state of the literature, provide directions for future research, and discuss how organizations can utilize these alternative age constructs to leverage the unique skills and abilities of older employees.