Bridge employment: Conceptualizations and new directions for future research

Abstract

Today, retirement is not a one-time permanent exit from employment anymore. A majority of older adults retire gradually by engaging in bridge employment which is the labor force participation status in-between career employment and complete work withdrawal. This chapter focuses on the theoretical conceptualizations of bridge employment from different perspectives (i.e., decision making, career development, adjustment process, and Human Resource Management). It also introduces a range of criteria to distinguish different forms of bridge employment (i.e., working field, organization/employer, time, and motive). We argue that bridge employment can be better studied and understood based on a careful specification of its conceptual meanings and operationalization forms. Finally, this chapter discusses future directions of research on bridge employment.