The Role of Occupational Future Time Perspective as a Moderator in the Relationship between Chronological Age and Work Engagement

Age-related factors, such as chronological age and subjective age, are one of the most important factors that influence work engagement. However, previous studies showed inconsistent results in revealing the relationship between chronological age and work engagement. We extend the previous research by arguing the relationship between chronological age and work engagement is moderated by subjective age in the workplace context, namely occupational future time perspective (OFTP) within the framework of conservation of resources (COR) theory. Built upon the framework, OFTP played a role as motivational and compensatory resources to be engaged. Data were collected using a paper and pencil survey from healthcare employees at six private hospitals in Jakarta and its surroundings (N = 190). Using a simple moderation test with Hayes’ (2008) PROCESS macro on SPSS software v25.0, the results showed that the moderating effect of OFTP on chronological age-work engagement was positive and significant, such that the relationship between chronological age and work engagement is positive and higher on individuals with expansive OFTP. Meanwhile, chronological age could not predict work engagement on low OFTP individuals. The results of this study are able to show the organization to highlight the OFTP variable, especially on the older workers.