Aging and Interpersonal Strain: The Role of Self-Efficacy and Social Drivers of Inclusive Workplaces

As the global workforce ages and multiple generations collaborate in workplaces, addressing the unique needs of diverse age groups becomes critical. Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, this study examines how regulatory emotional self-efficacy in managing negative emotions serves as a crucial personal resource in protecting against interpersonal strain. It also explores whether this relationship varies between middle-aged and senior employees. Age-related improvements in emotional self-efficacy highlight its significance in shaping perceptions of workplace inclusivity, defined by the inclusive behaviors of social drivers: colleagues, supervisors, and top management. A total of 1068 employees from a leading European telecommunication organization completed online questionnaires measuring regulatory emotional self-efficacy, social drivers of inclusive workplaces, and interpersonal strain. Mediation analyses revealed that regulatory emotional self-efficacy is positively associated with perceptions of inclusive social drivers, which, in turn, are negatively related to interpersonal strain. Multi-group analyses demonstrated that the protective effects of regulatory emotional self-efficacy differ by age. While inclusive colleagues mediate the relationship across all age groups, inclusive top management is particularly significant for employees aged 45–54. These findings deepen the understanding of age-specific dynamics in fostering workplace inclusion and underscore the necessity of tailored organizational strategies to support employee well-being across the lifespan.