The Impact of Digital Engagement on Quality of Job Among Older Workers: The Moderating Role of Gender

Background: South Korea has become one of the world’s most rapidly aging societies. Moreover, the relative poverty rate among Korean older adults is exceptionally high, which leads to a strong motivation for re-employment after retirement. Nonetheless, previous studies highlighted degrading job quality among older workers with explicit ageism and their underestimated work. Hence, labor policies for older workers have been introduced, including public employment and corporation incentives for high retention rates. However, these policies only expand employment opportunities, compromising job quality. Thus, examining factors for enhancing job quality among older workers is timely. This study identifies the knowledge gap between digital engagement and job quality and the moderating role of gender because digital engagement is a crucial qualification for decent work in a digitalized society. To this end, the importance of (1) tailored digital training programs and (2) enhanced workfare services for older people can be underscored.

Methods: Data from the ‘National Survey of Older Koreans (2023)’ were used for the study, and a subsample of 1,952 older workers aged 65 and over was analyzed. Job quality (DV) was measured with 3 subscales: job status, minimum wage, and safe working conditions. The items ranged from 0 (57.1%; temporary employment, below-minimum-wage, and hazardous environment) to 3 (only 1.4%; the highest job quality). Digital engagement (IV) was assessed with basic technology access and digital capacity. Gender (Mo) was dichotomized into 0 (male) and 1 (female). After generating an interaction term (IV x Mo), moderation model using SPSS 27.0 was conducted, adjusting for age, educational attainment, health condition, work intentions, and blue/pink/white occupations.

Results: The first model fit was significant (F = 78.23, p < .001, adj. R² = 0.26). Job quality was positively associated with digital engagement (β = 0.10, p < .01) among older workers. Next, the moderation model was meaningful (F = 73.87, p < .001, R² change = 0.01, p < .001). Gender (female) negatively influenced job quality (β = -0.12, p < .01), and the interaction term had a statistically significant impact on job quality (β = -0.21, p < .001). The results show the moderating effects of gender on the relationship between digital engagement and job quality.

Conclusions: First, decent work should be guaranteed for older adults with work motivation. Older workers are exposed to precarious work, including cleaning, janitors, or care services. However, emerging older adults have more advanced capabilities than previous generations, so utilizing their human capital probably benefits aging societies overall. Next, more customized digital programs that deal with job-related training should be provided for older workers, such as using word processors, navigating job search websites, or writing a resume online. Hands-on digital training is necessary for older adults to be qualified for digitalized/decent work. Finally, female older workers experience greater job deterioration, and the visualization of the moderation effect indicates a substantive buffering effect among female older workers. It implies the existence of other factors of their job quality rather than digital engagement, and further studies are needed in this area.