Early Exit Decisions in Finland: Investigating the Limbo between Unemployment and Retirement
Despite efforts to extend careers, workers continue to withdraw from working life before reaching the old-age pension age. The complexities behind early exit decisions have been extensively studied to understand the individual factors influencing the decision-making processes. However, fewer studie...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Aalborg University
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://tidsskrift.dk/njwls/article/view/144460 |
| _version_ | 1797236616029274112 |
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| author | Katri Keskinen Kirsi Lumme Sandt Pirjo Nikander |
| author_facet | Katri Keskinen Kirsi Lumme Sandt Pirjo Nikander |
| author_sort | Katri Keskinen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Despite efforts to extend careers, workers continue to withdraw from working life before reaching the old-age pension age. The complexities behind early exit decisions have been extensively studied to understand the individual factors influencing the decision-making processes. However, fewer studies have attempted to understand how underlying cultural notions of age shape these decisions. Using qualitative longitudinal interview data from Finland, this article examined how individuals in the Finnish unemployment pathway to retirement position themselves between unemployment and retirement by drawing on age-specific discourses. Findings show that early exit was framed as the least problematic career option, although colored with ambiguity and anxiety. Individuals did not view themselves as retirees, and some expressed interest in continuing work. Nevertheless, age norms together with experienced, internalized, and expected ageism pushed individuals toward exit, highlighting the need to better understand and support individuals experiencing late-life unemployment.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:06:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-df2a907a0899468699677df16bca917a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2245-0157 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:06:41Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Aalborg University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-df2a907a0899468699677df16bca917a2024-03-29T01:03:02ZengAalborg UniversityNordic Journal of Working Life Studies2245-01572024-03-0110.18291/njwls.144460Early Exit Decisions in Finland: Investigating the Limbo between Unemployment and RetirementKatri Keskinen0Kirsi Lumme Sandt1Pirjo Nikander2Tampere UniversityTampere UniversityTampere University Despite efforts to extend careers, workers continue to withdraw from working life before reaching the old-age pension age. The complexities behind early exit decisions have been extensively studied to understand the individual factors influencing the decision-making processes. However, fewer studies have attempted to understand how underlying cultural notions of age shape these decisions. Using qualitative longitudinal interview data from Finland, this article examined how individuals in the Finnish unemployment pathway to retirement position themselves between unemployment and retirement by drawing on age-specific discourses. Findings show that early exit was framed as the least problematic career option, although colored with ambiguity and anxiety. Individuals did not view themselves as retirees, and some expressed interest in continuing work. Nevertheless, age norms together with experienced, internalized, and expected ageism pushed individuals toward exit, highlighting the need to better understand and support individuals experiencing late-life unemployment. https://tidsskrift.dk/njwls/article/view/144460Employment, Wages, Unemployment & RehabilitationGender, Ethnicity, Age and DiversityIdentity, Meaning & CultureLabor Market Institutions & Social Partners |
| spellingShingle | Katri Keskinen Kirsi Lumme Sandt Pirjo Nikander Early Exit Decisions in Finland: Investigating the Limbo between Unemployment and Retirement Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies Employment, Wages, Unemployment & Rehabilitation Gender, Ethnicity, Age and Diversity Identity, Meaning & Culture Labor Market Institutions & Social Partners |
| title | Early Exit Decisions in Finland: Investigating the Limbo between Unemployment and Retirement |
| title_full | Early Exit Decisions in Finland: Investigating the Limbo between Unemployment and Retirement |
| title_fullStr | Early Exit Decisions in Finland: Investigating the Limbo between Unemployment and Retirement |
| title_full_unstemmed | Early Exit Decisions in Finland: Investigating the Limbo between Unemployment and Retirement |
| title_short | Early Exit Decisions in Finland: Investigating the Limbo between Unemployment and Retirement |
| title_sort | early exit decisions in finland investigating the limbo between unemployment and retirement |
| topic | Employment, Wages, Unemployment & Rehabilitation Gender, Ethnicity, Age and Diversity Identity, Meaning & Culture Labor Market Institutions & Social Partners |
| url | https://tidsskrift.dk/njwls/article/view/144460 |
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