The survey finds that a majority of workers ages 65 and older say the main reason they work is that they want to. Attitudes also play an important role as well, says the report. In particular, the growing desire of an aging but healthy population to stay active well into the later years of life.
According to the Pew Research survey, nearly four-in-ten adults who are working past the median retirement age of 62 say they have delayed their retirement because of the recession. Among workers ages 50 to 61, fully 63% say they might have to push back their expected retirement date because of current economic conditions.
Reasons For Working (% of Respondents in Category) | |||
Age Range | Need the Money | Want to Work | Both |
16-64 | 49% | 20% | 31% |
65 & older | 17 | 54 | 27 |
Source: Pew Research Center, September 2009 |
When asked to identify specific reasons for working, older workers emphasize psychological and social factors:
Younger and middle-aged workers are much more inclined to cite classic pocketbook considerations:
Reasons for Working by Age (% saying "big reason" for working; full or part time) | |
Big Reason for Working | % of Respondents in Age Group |
Age 65 & Older | |
Feel useful/productive | 68% |
Live independently | 59 |
Give myself something to do | 57 |
To be with other people | 56 |
Support myself/family | 53 |
Help improve society | 40 |
Qualify for pension/SS | 35 |
Receive health benefits | 21 |
Age 16-64 | |
Support myself/family | 88% |
Live independently | 78 |
Feel useful/productive | 69 |
Qualify for pension/SS | 65 |
Receive health benefits | 57 |
Help improve society | 48 |
Give myself something to do | 40 |
To be with other people | 35 |
Source: Pew Research Center, September 2009 |
All of these survey findings are consistent with a Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data that show that the labor force participation rate of older adults, which declined from 1950 until the middle of the 1980s, has been rising ever since. This trend has accelerated during this decade, especially in the current recession.
Delayed Retirement Due to Recession (% of Respondents) | |
Segment | % of Segment |
Age 50-61 | 63% |
Age 62+ | 38 |
Men | 54 |
Women | 72 |
Source: Pew Research Center, September 2009 |
Even in an era of growing gender parity in the workplace, the work/family trade-off continues to be much more complicated for women than for men, says the survey. It finds that nonworking women are nine times as likely as nonworking men to family responsibility as a key reason for not having a job.
The labor force participation rate for men has declined in this decade to 72%, the lowest level in modern history. The current economic downturn has hit men harder than women, with men suffering about two-thirds of all recession-related job losses.
The Pew Research Center analysis of long-term trends in survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Pew Research's own survey, additional key findings include:
For more about this report, please visit Pew here.
This is why everyone needs a Plan B.