A Theoretical Discousre On Workers’ Retirement In Nigeria

Theories are very significant tools for analysis and this is because theories provide guide and insight for appropriate and positive action by human beings. Theories spring up from hypotheses which have gone through rigorous scientific research. Therefore workers decision should be guided by reliable and acceptable theories. Retirement should not be left to chance and other unforeseen circumstances. Hence workers have to plan for retirement while in active service to avoid regret after retirement. One way of guidingworkers to successfully retire is to expose them to the theoretical leverages available for people planning to retire.This paper, after briefly discussing the concept of retirement, discusses some theories that can offer choices for people that are planning for retirement. In this regard the theory ofFinancial Planning, The Theory of Planned Behavior and the theories of Retirement Adjustment covering Continuity Theory, Stage Theory, Role Theory, Life Course Perspective, The Resource-based Dynamic Perspective, Structural-Functionalism and Expectancy theory are discussed for the purpose of knowledge, insight and information to workers.The study dealing with the significant issue of workers’ retirement is motivated by the sad stories and reports regarding wrong choices or no choices made at all by workers while in the service with adverse consequences on them, their families and the society at large. Accordingly, the piece is inclined towards offering the right theoretical insights for workers before and after retirement. The goal is to promote happy retirement based on prior credible choices while in service. The methodology used in the piece was anchored on extensive literature review relating to the subject-matter and the theoretical postulations there-from. It has been found out that workers’ failure and/or inability to make the right choices prior to retirement have to do with poor grasp of the right theoretical offerings relating to retirement. It is therefore recommended, among other recommendations, that workers need proper awareness dealing with the theories they can adopt to make retirement very pleasant and rewarding. Furthermore, it is recommended that workers should plan for their retirement while still in active service. Also, employers should ensure that they put in place early retirement packages for their employees.