The field of aging and work is becoming increasingly significant as the Western population continues to age, impacting various aspects of the workplace. The rising percentage of older workers necessitates adaptations in job roles to accommodate the psychological, sensory, physical, and cognitive changes associated with aging. Concurrently, older workers must adapt to the dynamic nature of modern workplaces through continuous training and skill acquisition. Despite the valuable expertise and organizational commitment that older workers bring, studies on diversity management reveal persistent issues of ageism, where older employees face negative discrimination. This underscores the need for a deeper understanding of how work history influences psychological well-being in aging individuals, and how age affects performance, satisfaction, and occupational health. Current research in this area is limited and conceptually varied, highlighting the necessity for more comprehensive investigations.

This research topic aims to explore the intricate relationship between aging and work, focusing on how an individual's work history impacts their psychological well-being as they age. It seeks to understand the influence of age on employee performance, satisfaction, and occupational health, while also examining organizational strategies to prevent cognitive decline and combat age discrimination. Additionally, the research will investigate the benefits of work as a source of active, successful, and healthy aging. By addressing these questions, the research aims to provide actionable insights for policymakers and organizations to better support an aging workforce.

To gather further insights into the complex interplay between aging and work, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Successful aging at work
- Promoting employment opportunities for the aging workforce
- Age diversity at work
- Cognitive decline at work
- Employment and cognitive reserve
- Age discrimination in the workplace or ageism

These themes are not exhaustive, and contributions that bridge multidisciplinary perspectives are especially encouraged. The research topic strongly supports both cross-sectional and longitudinal comparative studies involving diverse age groups or samples from later stages of life. This includes theory development, quantitative and qualitative empirical research, epidemiology research, and meta-analyses aimed at discovering new relationships or phenomena to inform modeling and advance the understanding of the psychology of aging and work.

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Frontiers in Psychology

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