The results of a scientific study have revealed that many individuals countdown to the day they can finally retire, concluding their career journey. However, if the employee has an open personality, they may be more cautious about relinquishing work. According to a report published by the British newspaper "Daily Mail," based on a study in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers from "Kasetsart University" in Bangkok found key links between different personality traits and reactions to retirement. The study's findings suggest that open individuals may struggle more with adjustment after leaving the workforce, while those with a strong conscience are more inclined to enjoy early retirement.
Previous studies have focused on how various paths to retirement, such as mandatory or voluntary retirement, relate to subsequent life satisfaction. However, little research has been conducted on how these associations differ based on the employee's personality traits. In their new study, the research team analyzed data from a survey involving over 2,000 British adults aged 50 to 75. The survey questions were designed to assess levels of the "big five" personality traits: extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism, alongside questions about the retirement path and satisfaction with life during retirement, as well as whether they planned to re-enter the workforce.
The analysis revealed that individuals who scored high on conscientiousness were more likely to report being satisfied with their lives after early retirement. Conversely, those who scored high on openness were more likely to report dissatisfaction with their life, income, and free time after retirement. The researchers suggest that conscientiousness may act as a "psychological barrier," where individuals with high scores in this trait are more active in finding new ways to enrich their lives. In contrast, open individuals may miss the social relationships they established at work.
The researchers hope to use these findings to develop interventions and policies that enhance the well-being of older adults, especially since the study came shortly after claims by some researchers that early retirement is harmful to health. Researchers from the Max Planck Society in Germany asserted that working until the age of 67 slows cognitive decline and can help combat diseases such as Alzheimer’s and other conditions that negatively affect a person's cognitive functions.
