Motivation for the Continuation of Work: The Case of Senior Experts in Germany

Many people aged 65 plus remain in good mental and physical health and devote their time to various post-retirement activities. This quantitative study explores the motivation of German retirees working on a voluntary basis with Senior Expert Service (N=661). Personal characteristics (motivational dispositions, such as achievement, generativity) and their relationship to situational job characteristics (e.g., feedback, possibilities to pass on knowledge) are examined. Results show that meeting Senior Workers’ motivation structure in situational job characteristics enhances job satisfaction. Knowledge about motivational patterns of active retirees can help better to understand the individual requirements to realize post-retirement work in a variety of settings. This would help enhance the satisfaction and well-being of a group feeling healthy and motivated to contribute.