Stability and Change of Job Performance Across the Career Span

Two-wave data from a large sample of employees (N = 1,155) 25–65 years of age were used to evaluate rank-order and mean level stability and change in supervisor-rated job performance obtained twice (4 years apart). Results showed moderated levels of rank-order stability across the career span. However, although rank order stability increased during the first phases of one’s career, peaking at age 55, it then demonstrated a decline from age 55 to age 65. Patterns of mean-level change showed that job performance was generally higher for younger workers than for older workers. All in all, our results support the value of investigating different definitions of job performance change and offers insights for planning/programming and implementing interventions aimed to improve (or maintain) job performance.