Perceptions about the decision to continue working after retirement: a qualitative study at a public university

Barbosa, Maria Paula Ramalho; Lucena, Eleazar Marinho de Freitas; Neves, Robson da Fonseca; Valença, Cecília Nogueira; Guedes, Dimitri Taurino

doi:10.1590/1981-22562025028.240163.pt

ORIGINAL ARTICLES • Rev. bras. geriatr. gerontol. 28 • 2025 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-22562025028.240163.en linkcopy

Perceptions about the decision to continue working after retirement: a qualitative study at a public university

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Objective To analyze the perception held by public university employees eligible for retirement, regarding the decision to continue working.

Method A qualitative study with in-depth interviews analyzed using IRAMUTEQ® software (version 0.7 alpha 2) was conducted. The sample included 12 participants (7 women and 5 men).

Results The most frequent words were “retire”, “process”, “life” and “continue”. In the similarity analysis, four communities of words were identified: "postponed retirement", "time to retire", "financial concerns", and "active aging". In the Descending Hierarchical Classification, four classes emerged: challenges of retirement, reinventing oneself, postponed retirement, and healthy aging. The results revealed that respondents held a multifaceted view of aging and retirement, considering financial, emotional and health aspects.

Conclusion The findings corroborate the evidence in the literature on the meanings of retirement, underscoring the importance of understanding the perceptions of employees regarding this crucial time of transition. The thematic axes reflected the complexity and multidimensionality of the aging and retirement experience, highlighting the need for policies that promote active healthy aging, as well as emotional and financial support for this population. The study highlights the importance of adequate planning for retirement, considering the various dimensions that affect the quality of life of older workers.

Keywords
Aging; Worker; Aged; University; Retirement.

Score	Class 1 – Challenges of retirement: visions and concerns
38.91	“You appreciate the value of the family only when you´ve lost them! I requested my permanence bonus back in 2018, but haven´t got it to this day. My reason for carrying on working is that I really like studying and publishing.” (Participant 8)
31.75	“So I combine the finance aspect with not wanting go without my productive routine. If I were to retire today, I wouldn´t receive what I´m used to and that would definitely affect my quality of life.” (Participant 12)
	Class 2 - Reinventing oneself: a new lifestyle
28.13	“I don´t believe I am* tired and worn out, I think I have something to contribute. The study I did for my doctorate also made me want to carry on* […] because it has some purpose! what we study invest time money and acquire knowledge, so we need to pass that on (Participant 12)
32.22	“In this scenario there are* many things intertwined, one thing out of place doesn´t work well! I try to live a calm life and pursue my goals*.” (Participant 6)
	Class 3 - Postponed retirement: a perspective of balance and purpose
46.89	“My goal entering into this process of aging is to keep studying marine geology, remaining active and still benefiting is what motivates me to continue because I could already retire and just stay in the house." (Participant 1)
37.22	“I have over forty years of public service, my experience is what motivates me to continue and the daily routine! we should think of health first and foremost, irrespective of age.” (Participant 6)
	Class 4 – Healthy aging
33.95	“everything comes down to having physical and mental competence - chronological age does not necessarily indicate incapacity when it comes to healthy practices. Many people worry so much that they end up getting sick. For me, it comes naturally, I simply live.” (Participant 6)
20.85	“I engage in activities and enjoy new challenges with wisdom and independence, I travel when I want, maintain my old friendships and seek new ones, and see all the needs of this process and try to attenuate physical frailties mainly by keeping active.” (Participant 11)

Characteristic	Median	IQR*
Age (years)	61.00	3.75
Income (minimum wages)	9.50	16.50
Time working at UFRN (years)	31.50	7.25
Age for retirement (years)	55.00	13.75
Time working (years)	35.00	13.00

location_on

Universidade do Estado do Rio Janeiro Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524 - Bloco F, 20559-900 Rio de Janeiro - RJ Brasil, Tel.: (55 21) 2334-0168 - Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brazil
E-mail: revistabgg@gmail.com

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[tfnte1] *IQR: inter-quartile range.