The costs and benefits of work after the retirement

Retirement marks a significant life transition, signaling the end of one's active work engagement and the beginning of a new phase of life. In the best-case scenario post-retirement life is characterized by increased time spend with friends and family, and a purpose in life that is perceived as meaningful. The reduced work load should be associated with improved health, because sources of physical and psychological stress should have far less impact. However, reality paints a different picture: The research on retirement shows a lot variation in retirement experiences, financial well-being, mental and physical health, social engagement, and overall life satisfaction.
The importance of pre-retirement occupations on individuals' lives cannot be overstated. However, the impact of occupations on people’s lives does not end with their retirement. Hence, I will propose a new perspective on employment and occupations by focusing on the retirees’ late life and end of life. In my presentation I will provide the theoretical foundations, why occupations (should) have a lasting impact. I will present a data source with which such analyses could be done and discuss outcome variables of interest. Examples for occupation-specific outcomes of interest are: years of life remaining after retirement, years in good health after retirement, years spend in loneliness, wealth, poverty, depression, political attitudes, decrease in cognitive capabilities, social networks, free-time activities, volunteering, housing, life satisfaction, etc.
From a policy perspective, understanding how different occupations influence post-retirement lives can inform retirement planning initiatives and social safety nets as well as occupation-specific training and safety regulations. On an individual level, insights gained from such research can assist individuals in making informed decisions about their vocational aspirations, careers, planned changes of occupations, retirement age, and financial preparations.

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