A comparison of subjective and objective job demands and fit with personal resources as predictors of retirement timing in a national U.S. Sample

TitleA comparison of subjective and objective job demands and fit with personal resources as predictors of retirement timing in a national U.S. Sample
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2018
AuthorsSonnega, A, Helppie-McFall, B, Hudomiet, P, Willis, RJ, Fisher, GG
JournalWork, Aging and Retirement
Volume4
Issue1
Start Page37–51
ISSN Number2054-4642
KeywordsComparisons, Job stressors, Retirement Planning and Satisfaction
Abstract

Population aging and attendant pressures on public budgets have spurred considerable interest in understanding factors that influence retirement timing. A range of sociodemographic and economic characteristics predict both earlier and later retirement. Less is known about the role of job characteristics on the work choices of older workers. Researchers are increasingly using the subjective ratings of job characteristics available in the Health and Retirement Study in conjunction with more objective measures of job characteristics from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) database. Employing a theoretically-informed model of job demands-personal resources fit, we constructed mismatch measures between resources and job demands (both subjectively and objectively assessed) in physical, emotional, and cognitive domains. When we matched comparable measures across the 2 data sources in the domains of physical, emotional, and cognitive job demands, we found that both sources of information held predictive power in relation to retirement timing. Physical and emotional but not cognitive mismatch were associated with earlier retirement. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of these findings and directions for future research.

URLhttps://academic.oup.com/workar/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/workar/wax016
DOI10.1093/workar/wax016
Citation Key9164
PubMed ID29270302
PubMed Central IDPMC5736375
Grant ListU01 AG009740 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States