Abstract
IntroductionIn times of extending working lives, it is relevant to understand why, today, most workers leave employment long before regular retirement age. Financial factors have been central for explaining retirement timing, yet their impact seems rather complicated. This study explores the motivation to keep working, in relation to the economic household conditions among older workers and it investigates the impact of socio‐demographic, individual and work factors on the motivation to keep working (MTW), again differentiated by economic household condition.MethodsBased on data from wave three (2018) of the lidA Cohort Study, a representative interview study of socially insured employees born in 1959 or 1965 in Germany, descriptives and linear regression analyses were performed among 2835 employed participants. For all analyses, the sample was divided into five household equivalized net income groups.ResultsThe groups with low and second lowest income were most motivated to work longer, followed by those with the highest income. The lowest income group exhibited most adverse scores for work indicators and health. Furthermore, in this group, MTW was unrelated to physical and mental health indicating that the comparably high motivation may be driven by financial imperatives.Discussion and ConclusionsThe findings indicate that many workers with low income may find themselves forced to extend their working life, irrespective of their health. This requires increased attention by research as well as policy. Policy might have to acknowledge group specific negative side effects of regulations effectively extending working lives.
Highlights
In times of extending working lives, it is relevant to understand why, today, most workers leave employment long before regular retirement age
The “lidA conceptual model of work, age and employment,” for example, postulates that employment participation at higher working age is a function of the complex interaction of eleven domains: social status, domestic domain, work content, work organization, health related life style, health, work ability, motivation to keep working (MTW), labor market, social context and last, and not least financial factors.[4,7]
Multiple linear regression models were used to better understand the differentiated effect that potential predictors have on MTW, when looking at different net income groups separately
Summary
In times of extending working lives, it is relevant to understand why, today, most workers leave employment long before regular retirement age. Many modern industrialized countries are witnessing lower birth rates, increasing life expectancy and a compositional shift from younger to older age groups This development is pronounced in Germany, which today has one of the highest old-age dependency ratios in the European Union and will continue so at least until 2050.1 Population. In Germany, these reforms mainly relate to the reduced access to early retirement and a gradual increase of the statutory retirement age from the age of 65 to 67 These measures have contributed to an increase of the employment rates among older workers, for example from 33% in 2007 to 58% in 2017 among those aged 60-64 years, which is the second highest rate in the European Union behind Sweden (68%).[2]. Some studies and theories suggest that employment participation is determined by the interaction of multiple factors.[3,4,5,6] The “lidA conceptual model of work, age and employment,” for example, postulates that employment participation at higher working age is a function of the complex interaction of eleven domains: social status, domestic domain, work content, work organization, health related life style, health, work ability, motivation to keep working (MTW), labor market, social context and last, and not least financial factors.[4,7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
