Search

Despite increasing interest in supporting older workers' motivation, retention, and well‐being at work, knowledge about how social networks at work may affect the efficacy of training interventions among older employees is scarce. These social ties are an important source of resources for older workers' careers. This study examined the characteristics of older workers' personal social networks as boundary conditions for the effects of late‐career management intervention on work engagement. Data were used from an earlier randomized controlled trial (RCT) in which senior employees (mean age of 58 years) participated in a peer group‐based training intervention and were asked to complete follow‐up surveys at baseline, post‐intervention, and after 6 months (Vuori et al., 2019, Journal of Vocational Behavior, 115: 103327). The results showed that older workers' social ties at higher organizational levels (upper reachability) and the number of social ties at work moderated the effect of the intervention on work engagement. Specifically, the intervention aimed at enhancing employees' personal resources improved work engagement for senior employees with few or no social ties at work with whom they could discuss important matters, and for those with social ties at higher organizational levels. However, the relationship quality between older workers and their leaders showed no moderation effect. This study encourages human resources professionals to consider the social network characteristics and peer learning of older workers when providing training to enhance their work engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study reevaluates the effects of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of job search interventions on labor force participation. In the trial, various methods of job search interventions were included, of which about half were research-based JOBS (Job Opportunity and Basic Skills) interventions and the other half were practice-based, that is, without a theoretical or empirical base. This study compares effects of the research-based and practice-based interventions. Methods: The trial included data from 1998 to 2000 of 1,013 unemployed people in Finland with 3-year follow-up data from official labor market records. Multilevel multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze the intervention effects on labor market outcomes. Results: The results demonstrated that beneficial long-term effects were produced only in interventions based on the research-based JOBS method for participants at risk of baseline depression. In contrast, the practice-based interventions seemed to have adverse effects on employment. Conclusions: These findings indicate the importance of research-based interventions within active labor market policies.

We examined the role of an in-company training program aimed at enhancing employees' intrinsic work-goal motivation by increasing their career preparedness in a randomized field experimental study. The program activities were implemented using an organization-level two-trainer model with trainers from the human resources management and occupational health services. Within-organizations randomly assigned field experimental study (RCT) investigated the impact of the intervention on immediate career preparedness and both immediate and follow-up intrinsic work-goal motivation. A total of 718 eligible individuals filled in and returned the questionnaire in 17 organizations and became voluntary participants. The respondents were randomly assigned to either intervention (N=369) or control groups (N=349). Those in the intervention group were invited to group intervention workshops, whereas the control group received printed material covering the information content of the intervention. The participants filled in the work-goal questionnaires before intervention, after the week-long intervention and seven months later. In addition they filled in a career preparedness scale before and after the intervention. The results showed that intervention increased career preparedness which in turn was related to intrinsic work-goal motivation and increased intrinsic work-goal motivation at the follow-up. (Contains 2 figures.)

The authors evaluated how a group-based career intervention affected career network ties among Finnish adolescents as they made educational choices and prepared for their transition to secondary education. They examined the career-related network ties of 868 students during their last year in comprehensive school (junior high school) in a randomized field experimental study. The results indicated that immediately after the intervention, the group method lowered the density of participants' career networks, that is, the participants' network ties were less interconnected. The results further showed that about 6 months after the intervention, the program had increased the number of school counselors named as network ties. (Contains 2 tables.)

This randomized experimental study (N = 1,034) examines both the direct and the indirect effects of the Towards Working Life intervention on 2 components of adolescents' career preparation: preparedness for career choice and attitude toward career planning. The intervention comprised a 1-week workshop program, the proximal goals of which were to enhance 9th graders' career choice preparedness and attitude toward career planning. Participants were assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention. The results showed that the intervention had directly improved the students' career choice preparedness, which in turn increased positive attitude toward career planning. Implications for both theory and practice are discussed. (Contains 2 tables and 2 figures.)

This study examines the mediating role of employment preparedness in improving employment, mental health, and construction of work-life goals among young vocational school graduates who participated in the School-to-Work effectiveness trial. The trial included a 1-week intervention program that focused on enhancing employment preparedness. In this trial, 416 graduates of secondary vocational institutes were randomized into a control and experimental group. All the study participants were assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 10 months later. The results showed that the School-to-Work intervention increased employment preparedness, which in turn increased employment at the 10-month follow-up. Furthermore, employment predicted work-life-related personal goals and lower financial strain, which in turn was associated with lower depressive symptoms. The implications for theory and practice are discussed.

The Towards Working Life group method was designed to promote the transition to the upper secondary level or vocational studies and to support mental health among young people finishing their basic education. This study examined the effects of the intervention during upper secondary and vocational studies in a randomized field experimental study among a total of 1034 students. At the one-year follow-up, the program had increased both education related social ties and the number of adults in these ties. The group intervention had interaction effects with baseline risk of depression and learning difficulties on symptoms of depression and school burnout. Among those initially at risk of depression, the intervention decreased symptoms of depression. For students who were at risk of depression and had learning difficulties, the intervention decreased school burnout.

The present study investigated to what extent the members of adolescents' peer groups share similar educational expectations, and to what extent overall and school-related adjustment are associated with these expectations. Three hundred and ninety-four ninth-graders facing the transition to secondary education filled in questionnaires measuring their short-term and long-term educational expectations, and their academic achievement, learning difficulties, negative attitudes towards school, problem behavior, and self-esteem. Multilevel modeling showed that peer group members shared similar educational expectations. Among girls, adjustment typical of the peer group was associated with the group members' educational expectations. By contrast, among boys, only problem behavior typical of the peer group was associated with the group members' educational expectations.

This study examines effects of the School-to-Work Group Method among 17-25-year-old young people facing the transition from vocational college to work. After baseline measurement (N=416) participants were randomized into experimental and control groups. The results of ten month follow-up (N=334) showed notable beneficial impacts of the group method on both employment itself and on how well it matched participants' education and personal career plans. The group method also had a significant preventive effect on psychological distress and depression symptoms among those initially at risk of suffering from mental disorder. Moreover, it considerably increased participants' personal work life, finances and property goals.

Finnish job seekers (n=559) were followed up after 1 year (n=401) after 84.3% participated in guidance courses, subsidized employment, vocational training, or some combination. Guidance courses enhanced reemployment. None of the interventions increased job-seeking activity. Training temporarily decreased psychological distress. Deteriorating financial conditions increased job-seeking activity. (SK)

This study investigated whether a preventive, group-based job search program has long-term beneficial effects on the re-employment and mental health of participants who have been unemployed for a prolonged period of time. A total of 1,227 unemployed Finnish job seekers participated in this randomly assigned experimental field study. Participation in the programme significantly decreased symptoms of depression, and increased the self-esteem of the participants during the 2 years of follow-up. Compared to the control group, the participants of the experimental group were engaged significantly more often in the labour market, either employed, or participating in vocational training., Prolonged unemployment may lead to serious health problems, such as decreased self-esteem (Feather, 1990; Goldsmith, Veum, & Darity, 1996), and depression (Dooley, Catalano, & Wilson, 1994), as well as many [...]