Hello pension, goodbye tension? The impact of work and institutions on older workers’ labor market participation in Europe
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
To sustain the welfare state, several EU countries agreed to take measures aimed at increasing the labor market participation of older workers (European Commission 2001). In this study, we developed a framework integrating individual, work, and institutional characteristics in order to explain the labor market participation of older workers. While prior studies focused mainly on individual characteristics, the present analysis investigated the impact of work and institutions more closely using the European Social Survey. Multilevel analyses across 21 countries showed that work characteristics increased the benefits from work, hence increasing the likelihood of participation among older workers, and that the generosity of institutions discouraged older workers to remain in the labor market.
Metrics
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Since 2020 the International Journal of Ageing and Later Life uses a Creative Commons: Attribution license, which allows users to distribute the work and to reform or build upon it without the author's permission. Full reference to the author must be given.
References
Bakker, A. B. & Demerouti, E. (2006). The job demands-resources model: State of the art. Journal of Managerial Psychology 22: 309–328. doi: 10.1108/02683940710733115
Beehr, T. A. (1986). The process of retirement. A review and recommendations for future investigation. Personnel Psychology 39: 31–55. doi: 10.1111/j.1744-6570.1986.tb00573.x
Blau, D. M. (1994). Labor force dynamics of older men. Econometrica 62: 117–156. doi: 10.2307/2951478
Blau, D. M. (1998). Labor force dynamics of older married couples. Journal of Labor Economics 16: 595–629. doi: 10.1086/209900
Blekesaune, M. & Solem, P. E. (2005). Working conditions and early retirement: A prospective study of retirement behavior. Research on Aging 27: 3–30. doi: 10.1177/0164027504271438
Blöndal, S. & Scarpetta, S. (1999). The retirement decision in OECD countries. Paris: OECD. OECD Economics DepartmentWorking Papers 202. doi: 10.1787/565174210530
Cahill, K. E., Giandrea, M. D. & Quinn, J. F. (2006). Retirement pattern from career employment. The Gerontologist 46: 514–523. doi: 10.1093/geront/46.4.514
Coile, C. (2004). Retirement incentives and couples’ retirement decisions. Topics in Economic Analysis & Policy 4: 1–28. doi: 10.2202/1538-0653.1277
Coleman, J. S. (1990). Foundations of Social Theory. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Damman, M., Henkens, K. & Kalmijn, M. (2009). Retirement of Dutch Male Older Workers. The Role of Mid-Life Educational, Work, Health, and Family Experiences. Tilburg, The Netherlands: Netspar.
Dentinger, E. & Clarkberg, M. (2002). Informal caregiving and retirement timing among men and women: Gender and caregiving relationships in late midlife. Journal of Family Issues 23: 857–879. doi: 10.1177/019251302236598
Elder, G. H. & Pavalko, E. K. (1993).Work careers in men’s later years: Transitions, trajectories, and historical change. Journal of Gerontology 48: 180–191. doi: 10.1093/geronj/48.4.S180
Esping-Andersen, G. (1990). The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
European Commission. (2001). Council Decision of 19 January 2001 on Guidelines for Member States’ Employment Policies for the Year 2001. Luxembourg: European Commission.
European Commission. (2009). Longer Working Lives through Pension Reforms. Luxembourg: European Commission.
European Social Survey Round 2 Data. (2004). Data file edition 3.3. Norwegian Social Science Data Services. Norway: Data Archive and distributor of ESS data.
Eurostat (2012). Statistics Database. Available on http://epp.eurostat. ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/statistics/search_database (Accessed: September 23, 2012).
Eurostat (2013). Statistics Database. Available on http://epp.eurostat. ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/statistics/search_database (Accessed: April 4, 2013).
Fasang, A. E., Geerdes, S. & Schömann, K. (2012). Which type of job mobility makes people happy? A comparative analysis of European welfare regimes. International Sociology 27: 349–383. doi: 10.1177/0268580911423048
Feather, N. T. & O’Brien, G. E. (1986). A longitudinal analysis of the effects of different patterns of employment and unemployment on schoolleavers. British Journal of Psychology 77: 459–479. doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8295.1986.tb02211.x
Fischer, J. A. V. & Sousa-Poza, A. (2006). The institutional determinants of early retirement in Europe (pp. 1–29). St. Gallen, Switzerland: University of St. Gallen Discussion Paper 2006–08.
Forma, P. (2008). Work, family and intentions to withdraw from the workplace. International Journal of Social Welfare 18: 183–192. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2397.2008.00585.x
Frey, B. S. (1997). Not Just for the Money. An Economic Theory of Personal Motivation. Brookfield/Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Gelman, A. & Hill, J. (2007). Data Analysis Using Regression and Multilevel/Hierarchical Models. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Gielen, A. C. (2007). Working hours flexibility and older workers’ labor supply. Oxford Economic Papers 61: 240–274. doi: 10.1093/oep/gpn035
Goldstein, H. (1999). Multilevel Statistical Models. London: Institute of Education.
Hayward, M. D., Friedman, S. & Chen, H. (1998). Career trajectories and older men’s retirement. Journal of Gerontology B 53: 91–103. doi: 10.1093/geronb/53B.2.S91
Hayward, M. D., Grady, W. R., Hardy, M. A. & Sommers, D. (1989). Occupational influences on retirement, disability, and death. Demography 26: 393–409. doi: 10.2307/2061600
Hofäcker, D. & Pollnerova, S. (2006). Late careers and career exits. An international comparison of trends and institutional background patterns. In H.-P. Blossfeld, S. Buchholz & D. Hofäcker (eds.), Globalization, Uncertainty and Late Careers in Society (pp. 25–53). Abingdon: Routledge.
Ingelhart, R. (1990). Culture Shift in Advanced Industrial Society. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Keck, W., Hessel, P. & Saraceno, C. (2009). Multilinks. Database on Intergenerational Policy Indicators. Methodological Report. Berlin: Social Science Research Center.
Kim, J. (2009). Early retirement in the three types of welfare states. Research on Aging 31: 520–548. doi: 10.1177/0164027509337192
Knoop, R. (1994). Work values and job-satisfaction. Journal of Psychology 128: 683–690. doi: 10.1080/00223980.1994.9921297
Komp, K. & Be´land, D. (2012). Guest editorial: Balancing protection and productivity: International perspectives on social policies for older people. International Journal of Social Welfare 21: S1–S7. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2397.2012.00888.x
Lambert, E. G., Hogan, N. L. & Barton, S. M. (2001). The impact of job satisfaction on turnover intent: A test of a structural measurement model using a national sample of workers. The Social Science Journal 38: 233–350. doi: 10.1016/S0362-3319(01)00110-0
Liefbroer, A. C. (2009). European’s Opinions on the Timing of Retirement. European Policy Brief #2. Available online: http://www.multilinksproject. eu/uploads/papers/0000/0024/Second_Policy_Brief_MULTILINKS.pdf (last accessed 3 Feb 2014).
Mein, G., Martikainen, P., Stansfeld, S. A., Brunner, E. J., Fuhrer, R.and Marmot, M. G. (2000). Predictors of early retirement in British civil servants. Age and Ageing 29: 529–536. doi: 10.1093/ageing/29.6.529
Münderlein, M., Ybema, J. F. & Koster, F. (2013). Happily ever after? Explaining turnover and retirement intentions of older workers in the Netherlands. Career Development International 18: 548–568. doi: 10.1108/CDI-01-2013-0004
OECD. (2006). Ageing and Employment Policies: Live Longer, Work Longer. Paris: OECD.
OECD. (2011). Pensions at a Glance 2011: Retirement-Income Systems in OECD and G20 Countries. Paris: OECD.
Schils, T. (2008). Early retirement in Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom: A longitudinal analysis of individual factors and institutional regimes. European Sociological Review 24: 315–329. doi: 10.1093/esr/jcn009
Shultz, K. S., Morton, K. R. & Weckerle, J. R. (1998). The influence of push and pull factors on voluntary and involuntary early retirees’ retirement decision and adjustment. Journal of Vocational Behavior 53: 45–57. doi: 10.1006/jvbe.1997.1610
Siegrist, J. & Wahrendorf, M. (2010). Quality of work, health and early retirement: European comparisons. Mannheim: Mannheim Research Institute for the Economics of Aging. Working Paper 224–2010. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckl084
Siegrist, J., Wahrendorf, M., Von dem Knesebeck, O., Jürges, H. & Börsch-Supan, A. (2006). Quality of work, well-being, and intended early retirement of older employees – baseline results from the SHARE Study. European Journal of Public Health 17: 62–68.
Smith, D. R., Holtom, B. C. & Mitchell, T. R. (2011). Enhancing precision in the prediction of voluntary turnover and retirement. Journal of Vocational Behavior 79: 290–302. doi: 10.1016/j.jvb.2010.11.003
StataCorp. (2009). Stata Multiple Imputation Reference Manual: Release 11. Statistical Software. College Station, TX: StataCorp LP.
Van Dalen, H. P., Henkens, K., Henderikse, H. & Schippers, J. (2006). Dealing with an ageing labour force: What do European employers expect and do? The Hague: NIDI. Report No. 73.
Van den Broeck, A., Van Ruysseveldt, J., Smulders, P. & De Witte, H. (2011). Does an intrinsic work value orientation strengthen the impact of job resources? A perspective from the Job Demands-Resources Model. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology 20: 581–609. doi: 10.1080/13594321003669053
Van Oorschot, W. & Jensen, P. H. (2009). Early retirement differences between Denmark and The Netherlands. A cross-national comparison of push and pull factors in two small European welfare states. Journal of Ageing Studies 23: 267–278. doi: 10.1016/j.jaging.2008.01.003
Von Bonsdorff, M. E. (2009). Intentions of early retirement and continuing to work among middle-aged and older employees. University of Jyväskylä. Jyvåäskylä Studies in Business and Economics 83. Jyväskylä: Jyväskylä University Printing House.
Walker, A. & Maltby, T. (2012). Active ageing: A strategic policy solution to demographic ageing in the European Union. International Journal of Social Welfare 21: S117–S130. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2397.2012.00871.x
Wang, M. & Shultz, K. S. (2009). Employee retirement. A review and recommendations for future investigation. Journal of Management 36: 172–206. doi: 10.1177/0149206309347957
Wise, D. A. (2010). Facilitating longer working lives: International evidence in why and how. Demography 47: 131–149. doi: 10.1353/dem.2010.0000