Abstract
In many countries, eldercare workers are approaching retirement. To remain attractive to older and experienced workers, organizations need to understand how employees nearing retirement think about and experience their work situation. This qualitative study investigated how older nursing assistants within residential care for older people experienced aging at work, their psychosocial work environment, and their late-career planning. Semi-structured interviews with eight nursing assistants (aged 55–61 years) in Sweden were analyzed using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach. The results show that the psychosocial work environment was perceived as stressful and considered a long-term health risk, and that (future) health and work ability were key factors determining nursing assistants' late-career planning. Moreover, personal resources and social support from colleagues seemed protective against job demands. Aspects considered in late-career planning also included personal finances and meaningfulness of work. While these findings may be sample-specific, they still provide insights into the experiences of an important occupational group. This means that the findings can be useful for organizations aiming at promoting successful and sustainable aging-in-workplace and encouraging extended working lives.
Highlights
In several countries, demographic aging is challenging labor markets and the sustainability of pension systems (OECD, 2019)
In Sweden, there is no statutory retirement age and individuals may retire between ages 62 and 68, with most having a possibility to work beyond age 68, with the employer's agreement (Swedish Pensions Agency, 2020)
The sampling procedures were guided by the principles of the analytical approach of this study, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA; Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2009), with its focus on including a relatively small and homogeneous sample allowing for detailed accounts, and thorough and systematic analyses of individual experiences in a particular context
Summary
Demographic aging is challenging labor markets and the sustainability of pension systems (OECD, 2019). The number of Swedish residents aged 80 years or older is expected to increase by 50% in 2029 (Statistics Sweden, 2020) This increases the need for healthcare and eldercare services. Organizations aiming to retain their older employees and take advantage of their competence and experience would benefit from understanding how nursing assistants approaching retirement think about late-career de cisions. Even if late career and retirement preferences and planning not always translate into actual behavior (Solem et al, 2016; Steiber & Kohli, 2017), to understand factors involved in such preferences is important, since policies and organizational practices aligned with older workers' wishes and needs have better possibilities of being successful in encouraging extended working lives (Esser, 2005)
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