The Effects Work Engagement and Generativity on Post-retirement Preparation: The Indirect Effects of Mentoring & The Gender Difference

Abstract

The post-retirement preparation of middle & young-old aged workers before their complete labor force withdrawal have received more attention in countries where aging society is progressing rapidly. Given that organizations and society may not be able to provide a full support for the later life of middle & young-old aged workers, self-directed preparation of individual workers is a key factor for the successful retirement. The purpose of this study was to examine a mediating role of mentoring between generativity and post-retirement preparation based on the theory of adult development of Erikson associated with generativity. The effect of mentoring may also be influenced by work-related factor for the old-aged workers. Thus, this study simultaneously tested the effect of work engagement as another predictor of mentoring and post-retirement preparation. Given the expected roles of the generation in this age are quite different by gender, the gender difference in the pattern of relationships among the variables was also hypothesized. Conducting a survey research to 320 employed middle and young-old aged worker, the data was analyzed by multi-group analysis using Structured Equation Modeling. The results of this study found the positive effects of generativity and work engagement on post-retirement preparation through mentoring behavior. Gender difference was also found in some paths of the research model. Suggestions for future research and practical implications were provided based on the findings.