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In 2007, Best Buy was the leading electronics retailer in the United States with more than 941 stores, revenue totaling $31 billion, and a market cap of $21 billion. In 2005, Best Buy had adopted a new business model, culture, and customer-segmentation template called Customer Centricity. This move created volatility in the price of Best Buy stock because of the higher-than-expected employee costs that went with this new way of doing business and the difficulty of executing the old and the new business models simultaneously while the new model was rolled out. Best Buy responded to Wall Street's short-term focus in a myriad of ways. It first asked for investor patience, and stressed the strong operating results achieved in Best Buy stores operating under the new model. But in June 2007, after the stock dropped again, the CEO knew he had to decide whether to open more Best Buy stores, increase the company's dividend, or increase the stock-repurchase program.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many employees to work from home, resulting in new demands that might cause older workers to reevaluate their retirement decisions. Building on the extended Job Demands-Resources model, which explains work-related outcomes in times of crisis, this study investigated the change in older workers’ intention to continue working during COVID-19 and the role of ICT-related strain and social support during teleworking.

A two-wave longitudinal study was conducted among 1,406 older workers (i.e. 50 years or older). Data were collected before the COVID-19 pandemic (2019: T1) and during the pandemic (2021: T2). In total, 967 older workers completed the survey at both waves.

Older workers’ nearing retirement experienced a decline in intentions to continue working during the pandemic, while intentions of older workers further away from their retirement increased. At T2, the negative relationship between telework intensity and the intention to continue working was mediated by ICT-related strain. Perceived social support at work seems to buffer the negative impact of telework intensity on ICT-related strain.

This study provides valuable insights into factors that may stimulate older workers' workforce participation by investigating effects of ICT-related strain and social support during telework. Organizations can implement interventions that enhance job resources and reduce job demands during telework to help mitigate ICT-related strain and postpone retirement.