Routes to retirement, working conditions and quality of life in comparative perspective

An important response to the challenges of ageing populations has been reforms to decrease the economic incentives for early retirement. For individuals with poor working conditions, however, there is a risk that each additional working year may have negative consequences on their quality of life after retirement. Using data from 12 countries and 3000 individuals from the SHARE (Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe), this study analyses exit routes from work to retirement in a comparative perspective. Using group-based trajectory modelling, results indicated that poor late-working life working conditions was associated with exit routes with high reliance upon income from different transfer schemes. Using multilevel models, analyses then indicated that the generosity of these transfer schemes has a positive impact on post-retirement quality of life. Limitations and policy implication of the study are discussed at the end.