Planning and Reasons for Retirement: Focus Groups with Brazilian Workers

The publication of studies and the discussion between different sectors of the Brazilian society about the importance of the retirement planning is growing, but it is still quite timid. The objective of this qualitative research was to describe the perceptions of a group of workers living in Brasilia about how they are preparing for retirement, their intentions, and reasons for retiring. Divided into six focus groups, 33 Brazilian workers (23 women) from 47 to 69 years old participated in this study. Qualitative data was analyzed using the Iramuteq software. A closed questionnaire with sociodemographic issues, intentions for retirement, and financial planning was also applied. Content analysis gave rise to five classes. The results corroborate the scientific literature: planning for retirement involves several dimensions, not just the financial one; retirement preparation programs (RPPs) must be offered by organizations and can have different formats; HR practices in addition to the RPPs should be implemented to manage age-diverse teams; bridge employment has been the most chosen option as an intention for retirement in the current scenario; family relations quality and having more time to take care of yourself represent important reasons in the retirement decision process.