Individual Needs’ Influence on Retirement Intention of Government Hospital Nurses in Malaysia

Abstract

Government hospital nurses’ shortages in Malaysia due to early retirement or leaving the profession is apparent in the workforce nowadays. This results in the loss of experienced and skilled nurses and a financial burden to the government due to longer provision funds or pension pay-out. To better manage this workforce, it is crucial to identify and understand the individual needs that influences the nurses’ intention to retire. The four individual needs, namely, health, financial stability, individual career competency and work-life balance, are analyzed on their influence on retirement intention. The Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is used to support the paper’s framework, focusing on the individual needs and its relatedness to retirement intention. The endpoint of this study further identifies and confirms the individual needs’ (health, financial stability, individual career competency and work-life balance) that influences nurses’ intention to stay or retire from their current role. The study aims to aid the academics and practitioners to understand better and address the issue of retirement intention among nurses to reduce their shortage and the financial burden of the government. Subsequently, it aids in the finding of core needs that influences decision towards retirement besides knowing the preferred retirement age of nurses by analyzing the effect of individual needs on retirement intention.

Research paper

Keywords: Retirement Intention; Individual Needs; Self-Determination Theory (SDT); Health, Financial Stability; Individual Career Competency; Work-Life-Balance; Government Hospital Nurses; Malaysia

Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Visvanathan, P., & Muthuveloo, R. (2022). Individual Needs’ Influence on Retirement Intention of Government Hospital Nurses in Malaysia. Journal of Entrepreneurship, Business and Economics, 10(1), 76–108.