Trajectories of work ability from mid-life to pensionable age and their association with retirement timing

Abstract

BackgroundThis study aimed to identify the trajectories of work ability over 16 years preceding the individual pensionable age and to examine the association with retirement timing.MethodsThe study population consisted of 2612 public sector employees from the Finnish Retirement and Aging study and the Finnish Public Sector study. Participants were grouped into ‘no-extension’ (retired at the individual pensionable date or worked no longer than 6 months after that date) and ‘extension’ (worked more than 6 months after individual pensionable age). Trajectories of self-reported work ability score (0–10) in maximum of eight measurement points over 16 years preceding retirement were examined using the group-based latent trajectory analysis. Log-binomial regression was used to analyse the association between trajectory groups and extended employment.ResultsFour stable (‘Stable excellent’, 7%; ‘Stable high’, 62%; ‘Stable medium’, 24%; ‘Low’, 4%) and one decreasing (‘Declining’, 3%) work ability trajectories were identified. After taking into account gender, age, occupational status, marital status and self-rated health, ‘Stable excellent’ trajectory was associated with a higher likelihood of extended employment compared with the ‘Low’ (risk ratio (RR) 2.38, 95% CI 1.21 to 4.68) and to the ‘Declining’ (RR 2.82, 95% CI 1.32 to 6.01) trajectories. There was no difference in retirement timing between ‘Declining’, ‘Low’ and ‘Stable medium’ trajectories.ConclusionWork ability remained relatively stable among majority of the participants over 16 years of follow-up. Stable excellent work ability from mid-life to late career was associated with higher likelihood of extending employment beyond individual pensionable age than those with low or declining work ability.

Pain, Physical Demands at Work, and Future Work Expectations Among Older Adults in the United States

“…Our findings align with the extant research documenting the negative relationship between physical work demands and perceived “work ability” among people with musculoskeletal pain ( Badarin et al, 2022 ; Oliv et al, 2017 ; Skovlund et al, 2020 ). Work ability is defined as a balance between work obligations and cognitive or physical capacity ( Ilmarinen, 2009 ) Low or declining work ability—often due to a combination of health problems and strenuous work conditions—is associated with higher likelihood of taking sick leave and typically precedes early elective or forced retirement due to disability ( Boissonneault & De Beer, 2018 ; Martinez & Fischer, 2019 ; Prakash et al, 2021 ). By assessing future work expectations, our study builds upon this prior research and suggests that pain and physical work demands may influence not only current work ability but also one’s assessment of future work ability.…”

Finnish Retirement and Aging Study: a prospective cohort study

“…By using the information about timing of retirement, we have examined how factors related to health, work, as well as family and social relations predict retirement timing. We have observed that those who have better health and work ability,51 good worktime control52 and full-time working spouse53 are more likely to extend their employment beyond the pensionable age compared with those who retire at their state pension age or earlier. We have also shown that men are more likely to extend their employment than women, and this is largely explained by men having the above mentioned characteristics more often 54.…”