Psychological Correlates of Employee Retirement Transition Among Staff of Selected Polytechnics in Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined psychological correlates and employee retirement transition among academic and non-academic staff of Polytechnics in Edo State, Nigeria. The study used five proxies of depression, job demand, anxiety, decreased cognitive functioning and stress to measure psychological determinants, which are the independent variables, while the dependent variable was employee retirement transition. The study employed a descriptive research design with a sample of three hundred and seven employees drawn from polytechnic institutions in Edo State, Nigeria. The study used tables and percentages to analyse research questions, while correlation and regression analysis were employed to test the hypotheses raised in chapter one. The findings revealed that depression, job demand, decreased cognitive functioning and stress were significant to employee retirement transition, while anxiety had no relationship with employee retirement transition of academic and non-academic staff of polytechnics in Edo State, Nigeria. The study recommended, amongst others, that depression is a major variable to consider when an employee is transitioning to the retirement stage. This is because of the fear of the unknown by most retirees about what the future holds for them as senior citizens. So management should give proper awareness and training on retirement coping mechanisms before an employee fully retires from active service.