How younger employees’ gratitude expression impacts older employees’ knowledge sharing: An emotions-as-social-information perspective

This study investigated the mechanisms and contextual conditions underlying the impact of younger employees’ gratitude expression (YGEx) on older employees’ knowledge sharing (KS) in working environments. Grounded in the emotions as social information (EASI) model, we propose a dual-pathway framework that incorporates both emotional reactions and inferential processes. We adopted a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative analyses. Our findings revealed that YGEx significantly enhances KS in older employees. Empirical tests demonstrated that this positive effect is transmitted through older employees’ emotions of gratitude (OGEm) (emotional reactions) and age-based stereotype threats (ABST) (inferential processes). Furthermore, age-inclusive human resource practices (AIHRP) amplify these relationships by strengthening both the direct effect of gratitude expression on KS and its indirect effects through the two mediating mechanisms. A follow-up qualitative investigation identifies three types of YGEx and two types of KS. Various gestures of gratitude expressions facilitate both proactive and reactive KS among older employees. This study enriches the existing literature on gratitude in the workplace and KS between older and younger employees from a novel perspective. The study offers valuable insights for practitioners seeking to promote knowledge transfer across diverse age demographics.