Healthy pathways to retirement: a qualitative study exploring the views and needs of older workers

Older workers approaching or recently entering retirement described healthy pathways to retirement as extending from working life into life after employment, according to a qualitative study of 22 people. Their views and support needs centered on three themes: an age-friendly work environment, balancing work with health and personal life, and preparing for a new phase of life. The findings point to the organizational context as a particularly important influence on how workers experience the retirement transition.

Researchers recruited workers who were recently retired or expected to retire within the following four years. Between February and April 2024, the team conducted focus groups and semi-structured interviews, transcribed the recordings verbatim and analyzed them thematically. This design was intended to explore how participants defined healthy pathways to retirement and what they considered necessary to follow those pathways. As a qualitative study of 22 participants, the results describe the reported views and needs of this group rather than measuring how common particular experiences or priorities are among older workers generally.

Participants connected healthy pathways to retirement with physical and mental health, aspects of the work environment and the social environment. Work pleasure and a pleasant working environment were among the reported features associated with healthy pathways. The concept also included the period beyond the formal retirement transition, indicating that the study did not treat retirement simply as the endpoint of working life. Instead, participants viewed the transition as a process involving working life, retirement and the period that follows it.

The interviews identified age-friendly workplaces as one of the main areas in which workers needed organizational support. The study also identified the need to balance work, health and personal life, reflecting the broader range of conditions participants connected with healthy retirement. Preparation for a new phase of life emerged as a third theme, emphasizing the role of anticipating and approaching retirement beyond the employment decision itself. The authors concluded that employers could support older workers more effectively by strengthening age-friendly work environments and introducing organizational policies that address workers’ needs. These conclusions represent recommendations based on participants’ accounts; the research did not test the effects of a particular workplace intervention or establish whether such measures improve retirement outcomes.

Subject of Research: Qualitative research on older workers’ views and support needs for healthy retirement transitions.

Article Title: Healthy pathways to retirement: a qualitative study exploring the views and needs of older workers

Article References: Bosma, A. R., de Wind, A., de Maaker, M., Huisman, M., & Boot, C. R. L. (2026). Healthy pathways to retirement: a qualitative study exploring the views and needs of older workers. BMC Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-29992-5

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12889-026-29992-5

Keywords: healthy retirement, older workers, retirement transition, age-friendly workplaces, workplace health, work-life balance, organizational support, qualitative research, focus groups, interviews, Healthy, pathways