Work–retirement cultures: a further piece of the puzzle to explain differences in the labour market participation of older people in Europe?

What is it about?

The study examines to what extent culture is an important piece of the puzzle to explain differences in the labour market participation of older people in Europe. Such a sociological approach is in clear contrast to most of the existing literature on that topic which is largely economically oriented and more focused on socio-economic determinants. The results give some clear indications that the work–retirement culture plays a significant role in explaining differences in the labour market participation of older people and thus clarifies that the timing of retirement is not fully determined by pension policies and economic incentives. Accordingly, it is not sufficient to solely change the legal rules for the transition to retirement. Rather, people need to be additionally convinced of the individual benefits of remaining in employment.

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