Career development of older workers and retirees
Hirschi, A., & Pang, D. (2021). Career development of older workers and retirees. In S. D. Brown and R. W. Lent (Eds.), Career Development and Counseling: Putting Theory and Research to Work (3rd Edition). New York, NY: Wiley.
Identity Incongruence and Negotiation in the Transition from Work to Retirement: A Theoretical Model
Froidevaux, A., Hirschi, A., & Wang, M. (2018). Identity incongruence and negotiation in the transition from work to retirement: A theoretical model. Organizational Psychology Review, 8(4), 228-255. doi:10.1177/2041386619830754
In an aging society, dealing with the disengagement from the work-related identity and the quality of retirement adjustment become major concerns for individuals and organizations. However, the processes through which retirement adjustment can be achieved and upon which conditions this depends are only partially understood, especially regarding identity transition processes. To address this issue, we suggest that identity incongruence, identity transition negotiation, and the variety of high-quality exchange relationships represent key factors that explain the different experiences in retirement adjustment quality. Integrating social identity, self-categorization, identity negotiation, and interpersonal perspectives, we develop a theoretical model with 12 propositions highlighting the dynamic changes in identity incongruence across time and the possible co-existence of the work-related identity and the retiree-identity. We also discuss the potential boundary conditions of the model, outline directions for future research, and suggest practical implications at the individual and organizational levels.
The role of mattering as an overlooked key challenge in retirement planning and adjustment
Froidevaux, A., Hirschi, A. & Wang, M. (2016). The role of mattering as an overlooked key challenge in retirement planning and adjustment. Journal of Vocational Behavior 94, 57-69, doi: 10.1016/j.jvb.2016.02.016.50
Abstract
In an aging society, making a successful transition from work to retirement and achieving good quality of retirement adjustment become major concerns for individuals, organizations, and governments. This paper focuses on the particular role of mattering (i.e., individuals' perceptions that they make a difference in the world) as a critical self-concept dimension that may mediate the impact of social interactions on retirement process at two distinct phases. We conducted two studies using time lagged design (with one-year time interval) among older workers 55 years or older (N = 161; Study 1) and retirees (N = 186; Study 2). Study 1 found that mattering mediated the effects of social support at work on life satisfaction but not retirement planning. Study 2 found that mattering mediated the effects of general social support on positive affect but not life satisfaction. Contrary to our expectation, mattering also did not mediate effects of caregiving activities. Overall, our results suggest that mattering represents a critical mechanism that explains some of the positive associations between social support and retirement adjustment quality.
La fin de la vie professionnelle: une nouvelle étape à accompagner
Rosselet, A. & Hirschi, A. (2012). La fin de la vie professionnelle: une nouvelle étape à accompagner [The end of professional career: A new phase to accompany]. Panorama, 3, 22-23.
Managing the transition to retirement: From meaningful work to meaning in life at retirement
Froidevaux, A., & Hirschi, A. (2015). Managing the Transition to Retirement: From Meaningful Work to Meaning in Life at Retirement. In A. De Vos, & B. van der Heijden (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Sustainable Careers (pp. 350-363). Cheltenham, UK and Northampton, MA, USA: Edward Elgar Publishing.