Roles of Age and Future Time Perspective of the Work Relationship in Conflict Management: A Daily Diary Study

This study investigated the effects of age and future time perspective of the relationship (FTPR) on emotional and behavioral responses to workplace conflicts. A daily diary study that lasted for 15 consecutive workdays was conducted among 141 younger and older Hong Kong Chinese managerial employees. Compared with younger employees, older employees reported more positive and fewer negative emotions and utilized more passive strategies when experiencing conflicts at work. Moreover, employees who perceived an open-ended FTPR with conflict partners reported more positive emotions and used more passive and constructive strategies than did those with a limited FTPR. Moreover, the effects of passive and destructive strategies on interpersonal relationships were moderated by the age of participants and FTPR. The findings of this study reveal the importance of considering age and FTPR when examining conflict responses and work-related outcomes.