July 2024 – December 2025
PI: Dr. Susan E. Peters
Research Associate: Dr. Maren Wright Voss
Dr. Maren Wright Voss, research associate at the Center for Work, Health, and Well-being, is conducting a study, Thriving from Work: Assessment and Impact of Older Worker Preferences. Dr. Susan Peters, who leads the Center’s Thriving Workplaces, Thriving Workplaces Study, is the Principal Investigator for this study. Despite the known benefits of work and the disparities that exist in access for older workers, little is known about what workplaces can do to retain and support older workers. This project will build on existing survey tools to pilot a valid measurement approach of older worker preferences as predictors of thriving from work and retention. The study will collect survey data from 1,000 working adults over age 50 to support the validation of the Thriving from Work Questionnaire with this demographic. The project will interview aging worker specialists as they pilot test and evaluate survey items developed to better understand workplace preferences of older workers. The researchers aim to answer the following questions:
- How does thriving from work differ by worker age?
- What are the differences by age in the prevalence and preference for workplace policies, programs, and practices?
- Do differences in workplace preferences explain retention of older workers?
The focus of this study is to understand worker preferences that can be addressed through workplace programs, policies, and practices that ultimately enhance worker well-being and can promote viable jobs and employment options suitable for workers of all ages.
This study is funded by the Harvard Education and Research Center (ERC) Pilot Project Grant Program.