Late-career workforce participation in times of rising state pension age: the role of health and motivation.
Deeg, Dorly J H van der Noordt, Maaike de Wind, Astrid Boot, Cécile R L
Deeg, Dorly J H
van der Noordt, Maaike
de Wind, Astrid
Boot, Cécile R L
Series / Report no.
Open Access
Type
Journal Article
Article
Article
Language
en
Date of publication
2025-11-21
Year of publication
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Title
Late-career workforce participation in times of rising state pension age: the role of health and motivation.
Translated Title
Published in
BMC Public Health 2025; 25(1):4404
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study addresses late-career workforce participation and its association with health and motivation during nine years in which state pension age (SPA) rose gradually from 65 to 66.6 years in the Netherlands.
METHODS: Using the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, we studied workers aged 61-63 years who at 3-year follow-up had reached ages 64 years up to SPA, in 2013-2016 (n = 82), 2016-2019 (n = 111), and 2019-2022 (n = 119). Workforce participation was defined as continued working and number of working hours/week. Physical and mental health included self-rated health, functional limitations, depressive symptoms, and cognitive ability. Motivation consisted of self-reported reasons for (change in) workforce participation. Logistic (continued working) and linear (working hours) regression models were controlled for age, sex, educational level, and partner status.
RESULTS: Over time, 58% (2013-2016), 82% (2016-2019), and 72% (2019-2022) continued working. Among the health indicators, only better self-rated health predicted continued working, and only in 2019-2022. In continuing workers, working hours remained stable around 31 h in 2013-2016 and 2016-2019, but decreased to 26 h in 2019-2022. Poorer physical health predicted a decrease in working hours only in 2013-2016. Only in 2019-2022, better mental health was significantly associated with a reduction in working hours. Exited workers and workers who had reduced their working hours reported a lack of motivation to work more often in 2022 than in 2019.
CONCLUSIONS: In a period of rising SPA, an increasing share of workers aged 61-SPA continued work participation. Health played a minor role, whereas motivation to work became more important. Our findings suggest that the feasibility of maintaining late-career workers in the workforce requires attention to both health maintenance and enhancement of motivational factors at work.