Retirement planning, transition and life satisfaction: A study of younger male retirees in Hong Kong

This thesis aims to analyze some key issues and discuss themes in relation to retirement planning and retirement satisfaction that are of particular relevance to younger male retirees in Hong Kong. Through better understanding of these issues, it aims to help facilitate a more successful retirement transition and improve the retirement satisfaction of younger male retirees. “Life satisfaction” at retirement or “retirement satisfaction” in this thesis is used as an indicator to reflect how the retirees feel about their retirement experiences, serving as a means to interlink retirement planning and retirement transition adjustment process. In Hong Kong, men tend to spend a longer life time working compared to women and retirement would likely mean a bigger life change to them. Indeed, younger males especially at the initial stage of their retirement are suspected to have a lower retirement satisfaction compared with other gender_age retirees groups. This research was structured and designed with the objective to answer three Research Questions: RQ1: Do younger male retirees (age: 55 to 64) have lower life satisfaction than the other retirees of different age and gender groups? RQ2: How to describe the quality of life satisfaction which may have implications of the well-being of younger male retirees? RQ3: What are the key themes with regard to retirement planning that can facilitate a successful retirement transition and improve life satisfaction of the male retirees? A mixed methodology of quantitative and qualitative research analyses were employed in this thesis. This research study consisted of two parts (Part I & Part II). Part I comprised of a set of quantitative analysis while Part II was made up of a series of qualitative analyses, further divided into Part IIa and Part IIb sections. The analysis conducted in Part I focuses on RQ1. Based on the database collected from the GRF project (HKIEd 843912), the quantitative analysis results affirmed that younger male retirees (age: 55 to 64) may have a lower life satisfaction level than the other gender_age retirees groups. The statistical results provide affirmative support for the choice of younger male retirees in Hong Kong as the target group for further analysis in Part II. Part II addresses RQ2 and RQ3 based on the interview data collected from 12 face-to-face interview meetings with the target group. In Part IIa, three types of retirement satisfaction measuring approaches were applied to the interview data and drew inferences on the retirement satisfaction of the 12 interviewees. Whereas, Part IIb first discusses different types of retirement planning (Financial, Non-financial: Health, Occupy time, Social Groups, Psychology) and then identifies the key themes in relation to retirement planning and retirement satisfaction of particular relevance to the 12 retirees, taking reference to the interview information data. Five key themes identified were: i) Early planning for retirement; ii) Continuity; iii) Job role status; iv) Voluntary retirement from stressful job; and v) Regular monthly pension income. Through highlighting the themes from the interview data, this research aims to illustrate the appropriate factors of retirement planning particularly important to the younger male retirees group. If these issues are planned appropriately, they would likely help facilitate a more successful retirement transition and improve the level, as well as quality of retirement satisfaction of the younger male retirees group. All rights reserved.