Why work beyond 65? Discourse on the decision to continue working or retire early
Author
Summary, in English
This study examined retirement decisions among people who had left working life before 65 years
of age and those working beyond 65 years in an extended working life. The results were used to
make a model about their considerations, weighting and decision making, and important factors
and themes in working beyond 65 years of age or retiring before 65.
The interviewees seemed to have considered and weighed their own best life balance to finally
result in their identity as (older) worker or early retiree. They included their work situation and social
surroundings in descriptions of their planning and retirement decision making. The most important
themes in these descriptions were (i) personal health and well-being; (ii) personal finances; (iii)
possibilities for social inclusion; and (iv) possibilities for self-crediting by meaningful activities. Those
identifying themselves as older workers had possibilities in their life situation to manage their work
in relation to their functional ageing and health situation; felt important to others and socially included
in the workplace; and did meaningful tasks and felt empowered in their working life. Those
who had left the working life before 65 years of age describe a better possibility to this outside the
working life and left as soon as they acquire a sufficient pension.
The results and model presented here on how people perceive their identity as older worker or
early retiree will hopefully contribute to understanding retirement planning and to the formulation
of strategies to extend working life.
of age and those working beyond 65 years in an extended working life. The results were used to
make a model about their considerations, weighting and decision making, and important factors
and themes in working beyond 65 years of age or retiring before 65.
The interviewees seemed to have considered and weighed their own best life balance to finally
result in their identity as (older) worker or early retiree. They included their work situation and social
surroundings in descriptions of their planning and retirement decision making. The most important
themes in these descriptions were (i) personal health and well-being; (ii) personal finances; (iii)
possibilities for social inclusion; and (iv) possibilities for self-crediting by meaningful activities. Those
identifying themselves as older workers had possibilities in their life situation to manage their work
in relation to their functional ageing and health situation; felt important to others and socially included
in the workplace; and did meaningful tasks and felt empowered in their working life. Those
who had left the working life before 65 years of age describe a better possibility to this outside the
working life and left as soon as they acquire a sufficient pension.
The results and model presented here on how people perceive their identity as older worker or
early retiree will hopefully contribute to understanding retirement planning and to the formulation
of strategies to extend working life.
Publishing year
2012
Language
English
Pages
7-28
Publication/Series
Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies
Volume
2(3)
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies
Topic
- Environmental Health and Occupational Health
- Agricultural Sciences
- Social Sciences
- Engineering and Technology
Keywords
- Age
- work
- ageing
- ageing in working life
- retiement decision
- Work ability
- Older worker
- oler employees
- retirement planning
- Retirement
- ageing worker
- ageing employees
- healthy work places
- healthy ageing
- public health
- driving force
- decision making
- extended working life
- longer working life
- demografy
- work motivation
- work organisation
- occupational balance
- occupational environment
- Occupational medicine
- occupational hygiene
- work environement
- health
- wellbeing
- wellbeing in old age
- elderly work force
- prevention
- promotion
- management
- successful ageing
- successful working
- activity and participation
- folkhälsa
- social inclusion
- Social participation
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 2245-0157