abstract: 'Policy makers aim to raise the retirement age for economic reasons. For

  individuals, longer employment maintains income and social contacts.

  However, retirement allows more time for socially integrating activities

  with family and friends. There is therefore tension for midlife

  individuals between the perceived advantages of employment and

  retirement. Welfare states vary in policies toward older workers, in

  terms of incentives for working longer or ``early exit:{''''} which may

  influence individuals'' preferences concerning retirement timing. Data

  from 20 European countries were used to examine middle-aged women''s and

  men''s attitudes toward employment and other time uses. The analysis

  incorporated age, gender, socioeconomic circumstances, and type of

  welfare regime. Work-life conflict was evident, expressed as preferring

  more time for family, friends, and leisure, especially where employment

  rates were highest and more for women than men. Many full-timers

  preferred shorter hours. Differences between desired and actual

  employment status were greatest among working-class, female, and older

  individuals. Unmet demand for jobs was most common in transitional and

  Mediterranean welfare states. The likelihood of employment was related

  to the type of welfare regime.'
affiliation: 'Ginn, J (Corresponding Author), Univ Surrey, Surrey, England.

  Univ Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2M7, Canada.'
author: Ginn, Jay and Fast, Janet
author-email: j.ginn@surrey.ac.uk
author_list:
- family: Ginn
  given: Jay
- family: Fast
  given: Janet
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1177/0164027506291748
eissn: 1552-7573
files: []
issn: 0164-0275
journal: RESEARCH ON AGING
keywords: 'social integration; welfare regimes; gender; employment; retirement

  timing'
language: English
month: NOV
number: '6'
number-of-cited-references: '22'
pages: 669-690
papis_id: 5764de260184c450c4b686283b1d4a13
ref: Ginn2006employmentsocial
times-cited: '18'
title: Employment and social integration in midlife - Preferred and actual time use
  across welfare regime types
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000241384800004
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '10'
volume: '28'
web-of-science-categories: Gerontology
year: '2006'