Motives of retirement-aged workers and the importance of doing, being, becoming, and belonging: A systematic review of qualitative studies

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: Although extended work activity is often associated with active and healthy ageing, it meets with a polarized response. Studying workers’ lived experience may provide important insights into their motives for working beyond typical retirement age. Objective: This systematic review aims to explore why people who could retire continue to work and applies the dimensions of doing, being, becoming, and belonging to describe prolonged participation in work. Methods: Our search strategy followed the guidelines of the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD, 2009). Original studies were identified from databases CINAHL, Web of Science, Business Source Premier, ERIC, and ProQuest. Data were analyzed from the perspective of doing, being, becoming, belonging. A thematic synthesis was applied to summarize key motives. Results: Eleven qualitative studies met the inclusion criteria and achieved the quality criteria of the The Qualitative Assessment Research Instrument. Eight motives were identified that were associated with extrinsic and intrinsic motivational factors. Health was a theme of salience and was both a prerequisite for work and an important motivator in itself. The dimensions of doing, being, becoming, belonging emerged in the description of workers’ motives and formed an interwoven selection of motives that included achievement, positive relationships, helping others, and enjoying work. Conclusion: Retirement-aged workers appear to be a poorly represented population in the scientific literature on work motives. The main findings indicate that workers who prolong labour activity experience work as much more than the act of ‘doing’ or acquiring additional financial resources. This urges us to include the dimensions of ‘being, becoming, belonging’ into contemporary age management.