Employee Well-Being, Early-Retirement Intentions, and Company Performance

Objective: To explore the relationship between employee well-being and early-retirement intentions, and the extent to which early-retirement intentions are associated with company performance. Methods: This study is based on cross-sectional survey data on the ageing employees of the Finnish metal industry and retail trade, collected in 2007 (company-level n = 129, employee-level n = 1281). It was analyzed using multinomial logistic and multiple regression analysis. Results: Poor work ability, frequent emotional exhaustion, low organizational commitment, and job control were associated with the prevalence of early-retirement intentions among aging employees in both industries. Metal industry employees' early-retirement intentions were associated with weaker company performance measured by the perceptions of the manager. Conclusion: By enhancing well-being, employees may stay at work for longer rather than retiring early. Early-retirement intentions can be counterproductive for companies.