“At This Point Now”: Older Workers' Reflections on Their Current Employment Experiences

Abstract

Despite the frequently referenced graying of the U.S. workforce, we know relatively little about the work-related concerns and experiences of older workers--those aged 55+. This qualitative study addresses that gap by examining the current employment situations of a purposive sample of 37 older workers. Thematic content analysis revealed a vast diversity in the concerns and experiences of contemporary older workers, with participants being actively involved in all of the traditional stages of work-life development. Findings suggest a deepened or more nuanced view of the principal meanings of work--in particular, identity and social interaction--and highlight several negative aspects of later-life employment such as pension insecurity, unemployment, age discrimination, not having found one's "niche," and chronic interpersonal difficulties with co-workers. Findings are discussed against the backdrop of a rapidly changing workplace and dramatically shifting work-retirement trajectories in which job stability and predictable retirement are less common.