Staying Relevant or Becoming Invisible? Human Legitimacy in Extended Working Lives [abstract]

Abstract

Demographic ageing, artificial intelligence and increasingly fragmented careers are transforming not just how long people work, but how they are recognised as organisational actors. And with policy and management debates focusing on employability, reskilling and active ageing, less has been asked about a more relational question: under what conditions do individuals remain recognised as legitimate and future-relevant contributors throughout extended working lives? This paper conceptualizes human legitimacy at work as the degree to which an individual is regarded as a meaningful, competent and future-oriented organisational actor. With reference to legitimacy and recognition theory, socioemotional selectivity theory, psychological safety, individual ambidexterity, professional identity and studies of meaningful work, the paper contends that legitimacy cannot be reduced to capability or performance alone. It emerges instead through the alignment of three dimensions: adaptive capacity, social recognition and identity continuity. The paper elaborates on legitimacy misalignment and identifies three configurations: the Invisible Expert, whose capability is overlooked; the Over-Signalled Contributor, whose recognition exceeds current capability alignment; and the Identity-Disrupted Actor, whose participation continues but who experiences diminishing professional self-coherence. By reframing extended working lives as a challenge of recognition rather than retention alone, the paper adds to the literature on leadership and management to suggest legitimacy stewardship as a key leadership responsibility in organisations characterised by demographic change, technological disruption and increasing career uncertainty.