DOI 10.1007/s00420-009-0451-4ORIGINAL ARTICLE Work characteristics and determinants of job satisfaction in four age groups: university employees ’ point of view

Purpose To investigate (a) diVerences in work character-istics and (b) determinants of job satisfaction among employees in diVerent age groups. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire was Wlled in by 1,112 university employees, classiWed into four age groups. (a) Work characteristics were analysed with ANOVA while adjusting for sex and job classiWcation. (b) Job satisfaction was regressed against job demands and job resources adapted from the Job Demands-Resources model. Results Statistically signiWcant diVerences concerning work characteristics between age groups are present, but rather small. Regression analyses revealed that negative association of the job demands workload and conXicts at work with job satisfaction faded by adding job resources. Job resources were most correlated with more job satisfac-tion, especially more skill discretion and more relations with colleagues. Conclusions Skill discretion and relations with colleagues are major determinants of job satisfaction. However, atten-tion should also be given to conXicts at work, support from supervisor and opportunities for further education, because the mean scores of these work characteristics were disap-pointing in almost all age groups. The latter two character-istics were found to be associated signiWcantly to job satisfaction in older workers