"Call me what you like, just don’t call me a pensioner”

– Stereotypes about pensioners and their influence on retirement decision

Abstract

Previous studies have indicated that the working life is influenced by the perceptions held by both the employee and the workplace regarding older employees and pensioners in general. Similarly, negative stereotypes related to aging have been identified as factors that can impact retirement decisions. In this qualitative study, the concept of “pensioner” and the associated stereotypes are examined, as well as the influence that the individual’s understanding of this concept has on the latter part of their working life and on the decision to retire. The empirical data derived from semi-structured interviews, analyzed according to grounded theory principles, reveal several negative stereotypes about pensioners closely linked to general stereotypes about older individuals. These stereotypes seem to play a role in determining when individuals retire, as the decision is influenced by existential reflections on life priorities and the expected extend of life. Moreover, these stereotypes may affect how individuals retire, with many opting to exclude the workplace from the retirement decision-making process in an effort to avoid workplace categorization. Therefore, it is argued that the decision regarding retirement is shaped by one’s understanding of the pensioner concept and the accompanying stereotypes.