LATE CAREER PLANNING: CAREER ADAPTABILITY, AGING EXPERIENCE, AND OCCUPATIONAL FUTURE TIME PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

We propose and test a model on older workers’ career adaptability and aging experience (i.e., physical loss, social loss, personal growth, and gaining self-knowledge) as relevant factors shaping their late career planning. Moreover, we explore whether these relationships will be mediated by older workers’ occupational future time perspective. We test our model using longitudinal data from a sample of 800 older workers (aged 50 to 79) based in the UK. Results of structural equation modeling showed that occupational future time perspective mediated the positive effects of career adaptability and personal growth, as well as the negative effect of physical loss on late career planning. In addition, social loss showed a positive direct effect on late career planning. Overall, our findings contribute to a better understanding of late career planning and offers practical implications for older workers to purse activities that help them to successfully plan their late career.