Factors effecting the Decision to Continue Working or Retire Early

In most of the industrial world the fractions of older people continuously increase (OECD, 2011). The upcoming demographic change is described as a threat to societal service. Many societies have to motivate people to work until an older age to increase the number of working hours in the economy (Eurostat, 2010). Factors important to whether older workers extend their working life are complex, multidisciplinary and involve many different research areas (Nilsson, 2013). Many factors as health, work environment and organisations policies interact and affect the possibility to work in old age. Mental and physical working environment, work pace and skills/competence also associate to if older workers can be a part of an extended working life (Nilsson et al., 2011). Additional, work as an important part of life, working time and management attitude to older workers associated to if older workers want to work beyond 65 years of age. Some studies indicated that people who participate in the working life in an upper age imaging a better mental and physical health (Takashi, 2003). However it seem to depend on demands in their working life, work satisfaction and occupational grade (Westerlund et al., 2009). Economic incentives from salary, in the retirement insurance system and social system also effect the retirement decision (Jokela et al., 2010). Also the family situation an if the older worker plans the retirement with a partner affect the retirement decision (Cobb-Clark & Stillman, 2009). As described the decision to retirement or an extended working life is multifactorial (Nilsson, 2013). In the attention to delay the retirement age it is interesting and important to understand the interaction and which factors older workers put in their weighing pans for the retirement decision.