It might be assumed that men nearing retirement age are ready to put their feet up and get that golf handicap down.
But true satisfaction past the age of 67 may actually come from… not retiring at all.
The men who enjoy this stage of life most are the ones who continue to work, a study has found.
Researchers analysed data on more than 5,000 men and women above retirement age – 62 for women and 67 for men.
This included measures of life satisfaction and emotional wellbeing, as well as the factors linked with the decision to work.
Overall, they found men working full-time after retirement age reported higher life satisfaction and emotional wellbeing, regardless of job type, compared to those who stopped working.
Retirement-aged women only reported higher life satisfaction if they continued to work in high-status, well-paid jobs.
The researchers, from the University of Haifa in Israel, said postponing retirement could even help promote healthy ageing.
It might be assumed that men nearing retirement age are ready to put their feet up and get that golf handicap down. Pictured: File photo
True satisfaction past the age of 67 may actually come from… not retiring at all. Pictured: File photo
The men who enjoy this stage of life most are the ones who continue to work, a study has found. Pictured: File photo
Writing in the Journal of Happiness Studies, they said: ‘Overall, work contributes to older adults’ wellbeing because it provides financial and non-financial benefits such as social engagement and it is also a source of identity and self-esteem.
‘We found a stronger relationship of work and wellbeing among men than among women.
‘One explanation for this gender difference could be attributed to traditional gender roles, whereby working is a primary – maybe solitary – component of men’s self-identity, whereas women maintain other roles that provide meaning and satisfaction.’
In the UK, the state pension is paid to people at the age of 66, but this is expected to rise to 67 in the next couple of years.
Dr Malte Jauch, a lecturer in management and marketing at the University of Essex, recently argued that people should be able to take more time off in their younger years to compensate for later retirement.
‘Gradually increasing the working lifespan is never going to be popular,’ he wrote on The Conversation.
‘But one way of making this policy more palatable could be to give people early access to some of the free time that retirement promises.’
He argues the government should help people take some of their retirement early to help with raising a family, or even to allow more time to devote to hobbies.
‘None of us knows how long we will live, or how healthy we will be in the future,’ he said.
‘Faced with this uncertainty, it makes sense not to gamble with our opportunities for free time and leave it until it may be too late.’
