Consequences of men’s retirement for the continuation of work-related personal relationships

Abstract

Retirement is an important life-cycle marker and has a major impact on an individual’s functioning. Based upon the social convoy model, it is hypothesized that retirement decreases the likelihood of continuation of coworker relationships. Socio-emotional selectivity theory predicts a decline in the number of peripheral relationships with ageing and thereby a decline in network size and number of co-worker relationships among working and retired people. Data comes from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, with five observations between 1992 and 2002. At baseline, 226 men aged 54-81 years were employed; 166 men retired in the course of the study. The results of multilevel regression analyses showed a stable network size for both working and retired men. Among all men, the number of work-related network members declined, but more strongly among retirees. It is concluded that the convoy model fits better with the data than does socioemotional selectivity theory. Older adults’ networks of personal relationships change continuously. These changes can be understood from the convoy model, which is a life-span developmental model of personal networks based on role and attachment theories (Antonucci & Akiyama, 1987; Kahn & Antonucci, 1981). Each person is thought of as moving through life surrounded by a convoy: a set of people to whom he or she is related through the exchange of help, emotional support, and companionship. The convoy is conceived as concentric circles, representing different levels of closeness to the focal person. The closer relationships are determined more by attachment, those in the outer circle more by role requirements. Society is structured around various roles that prescribe norms and expectations regarding behavior and attitudes. Role-guided relationships, such as those with coworkers, can be important and affectionate, but they are primarily tied to the role setting, which generally limits them in duration and content.