Choice, Not Constraint: Understanding Well-Being Among Post-Retirement Workers

The effect of post-retirement work on the wellbeing of retirees has not been sufficiently examined, despite the increasing proportion of older workers in the labor market. The present research used a qualitative methodology to address this gap in our understanding of post-retirement work experiences and helped expand Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) into the field of retirement. we used a deductive application of SCCT. Deductive analysis of a theory in qualitative research is rare, although it can advance the scientific knowledge base of all disciplines.

This study aims to answer the question: How do white-collar workers experience the effect of post-retirement employment on their wellbeing, and what factors shape these experiences?. Only a few studies have used a qualitative approach to investigate the motivation for post-retirement work and the experiences of working during this period of life. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 white-collar workers aged 62-74. Thematic analysis was conducted deductively, based on six core elements of SCCT.

The findings indicate that post-retirement workers experienced both high work and life satisfaction when organizational environments were supportive, although agism remained a significant barrier; self-efficacy perceptions were influenced by physical and cognitive abilities, and accumulated experience; work served dual purposes, both as a goal and a means, participants valuing meaningful contribution over career advancement; work and life satisfaction were interrelated, and employment was perceived as a choice rather than a constraint. These findings demonstrate that core SCCT elements operate differently in post-retirement contexts compared to traditional career stages.

This study makes a valuable theoretical contribution by extending SCCT into the post-retirement period, proposing new theoretical premises for analyzing worker experiences and wellbeing after retirement. The theoretical expansion answers scholarly calls for extending SCCT beyond traditional career boundaries into post-retirement occupational choices. The findings support policy development for integrating the aging workforce.