RETIREMENT STRESS AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AMONG RETIRED CIVIL

SERVANTS IN KWARA STATE: COUNSELLING IMPLICATION AND INTERVENTIONS

BY
DR. ABDULRAZAQ OLAYINKA ONIYE
DEPARTMENT OF GUIDANCE AND CONSELLING
UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN
International Journal of Educational Management. 3. Available at
www.docstoc.com/docs/14905722/RE-EN
Abstract
This paper is a study of retirement stress and management strategies among
retired civil servants in Kwara state. The sample for the study is made up of 115 retired
civil servants (61 females and 54 males) drawn though random sampling technique from
the Kwara state pensions broad ofce, Ilorin. The research design adopted for the study
is a descriptive survey design. A researcher developed questionnaire titled Retirement
Stress and Management Strategies Perception Questionnaire (RSMSPQ) was used to
collect relevant data. Simple percentage and t-test statistics were used to analyze the data
collected. The fndings of the study include the fact that retired civil servants in Kwara
state are experiencing stressful retirement from ten diferent sources, the main one being
fnancial insufciency. They are using eight retirement stress management strategies, the
major one being talking to trusted people. It was found that there are both sex and
educational background diferences in the perception of retirement stress being
experienced by the retirees. It was discussed that counselors should among other things
be alert to the responsibility of counselling all workers on the need to prepare early for
their eventual retirement. It was recommended that mandatory retirement counselling
and stress management skills should be incorporated into the induction-training
programmes of all employees. In the same vein, government should establish a
mandatory tripartite funded pension saving scheme, an account to which the main
signatory would be the individual retirees and only withdraw able after retirement.
Introduction
Retirement is a fuid concept because it connotes diferent things and is fraught
with diferent experiences for diferent people. While some individuals view it positively
and anticipate it with nostalgia others dread its eventuality with great anxiety. Thus, it
could be said that it is not a homogenous experience for everyone. Retirement is a time
of signifcant transition as far as the use of time is concerned. However, the importance
of retirement is made more glaring by the fact that the retired person is made to face
some challenges because of his/her new status (as a retired person). It has been noted
that retirement is a stressful experience to many because of its associated life decision
change in the matter of life arrangement generally. It has been postulated by Elezua
(1998) that the moment retirement comes knocking on the door (of an employee) it
enters with challenges and expectations. Retirement is typically associated with
attendant stress for the average employee especially in a country like Nigeria with
austere economic policies.
Management as a concept implies the organization and mobilization of all
human and material resources in a particular system for the achievement of identifed
objectives in that system (Adesina, 1981). The organization and mobilization of human
and material resources here applies to civil servants who are expected to annex their
resources for the development of an efective and stress-free post retirement life style.
This is imperative, bearing in mind that management also implies directing, planning,
programming, regulating of fnancial and human resources for optimal goal
accomplishment (Abdulkareem, 2000). Counselling typically is a one to one, person to
person, or face to face encounter between the counsellor and the counsellee. According
to Oniye (2004), it is a helping relationship based on trust. It is also a process by which
an individual is assisted to evaluate him/herself and his/her opportunities, i.e. to make
feasible choices in the light of his/her unique characteristics and opportunities, to
accept responsibility for his/her choices and initiate a course of action that is in
consonance with any given choice.
Background to the study
Retirement has been defned as a state of being withdrawn from business, public
life or active service. According to the Industrial Training Fund, Centre for Excellence
(2004), retirement is a real transition. In the views of Kemps and Buttle (1979) in
Ubangba and Akinyemi (2004), retirement is a transfer from one way of life to another;
they note that many people sufer from retirement shock such as a sense of deprivation
during the early period of their retirement. In the opinion of Olusakin (1999),
retirement involves a lot of changes in values, monetary involvements and social aspects
of life. Olusakin further noted that for some retirees, it leads to termination of a pattern
of life and a transition to a new one. However, Billings (2004) described retirement as
the transition from frst adulthood to second adulthood which is often a jarring and
unsettling experience. It follows from these descriptions/defnitions of retirement that a
retired person or retiree is any person who performs no gainful employment during a
given year or any person who is receiving a retirement pension beneft and any person
not employed full time, all year round after his/her disengagement from a previous work
schedule. It is deducible; therefore, that retirement implies a transition from active
working life at youthful age with adequate fnancial capability to less rigorous work
schedule or lack of any tangible work schedule at old age.
Retirement has been variously categorized depending on the orientation or
perception of the classifer. For example, to many authorities on retirement literature
(e.g. Akinade 1993) retirement can be broadly grouped into three namely
compulsory/involuntary retirement, voluntary retirement and mandatory/regular
retirement. Compulsory or forced retirement is often impsed on an employee by the
employer for various reasons at times on grounds of ill-health, mental or physical
incapability and so on. Voluntary retirement is associated with personal withdrawal
from active service by an employee having put in the required years of service for
eligibility for retirement. This in most cases may be due to personal satisfaction or
dissatisfaction with work schedule or vocational life style. However, mandatory/regular
is said to occur when an employee is made to withdraw his/her service from a long-time
work schedule having attained the mandatory retirement age/duration according to the
organizations policy.
Retirement in Nigerian civil service is guided by Decree 102 of 1979 (cap 346)
which deals with pensions and gratuity. According to this law, the statutory age of
retirement of public ofcers is 60 years while it is 65 years for judicial ofcers and
academic staf of universities. However, with the reform of the civil service decree No.
43 of 1988 retirement age has been put at 60 years or 35years in service whichever
comes frst. It must be stated here that irrespective of the type of retirement, the
transition is associated with some stress situations like economic, social, psychological
and occupational stress. In the submissions of Omoresemi (1987), Denga (1996) and
more importantly Retire to Enjoy (2004), retirement stress could emanate from at least
eight broad sources. These are: (i) money; (ii) health; (iii) ageing; (iv) search for
meaningful activity; (v) work in retirement; (vi) marital status; (vii) caring for other
family members, e.g. grandchildren or elderly parents, and (viii) relocation. However, in
the opinion of Denga (1980), retirement is known to afect income, residence, family
structure or relationship between members, health and economic viability of the
retirees. Nonetheless the case is worsened when the retiree is not adequately prepared
to face this ultimate phase of life.
Retirement life demands great managerial ability. It has been observed that the
retiree in order to experience a pleasant post-retirement life style would have to device
efective means of managing some challenges inherent in retirement. It has been
posited by Kolawole and Mallum (2004); that the typical retiree in Nigeria setting is
confronted with the challenge of managing the following: (i) insufcient fnancial
resources; (ii) problem of securing residential accommodation; (iii) the challenge of a
new and low social status; (iv) difcult health and (v) challenges of declining health. It
is against this background that this study was initiated to investigate into the sources
of retirement stress and management strategies among retired civil servants in Kwara
state.
Statement of Problem
A worker is said to retire when he/she discontinues, withdraws or ceases doing
a particular work for which he/she has been known for a long period of time. It is a
phase of an individuals life which must be planned for and anticipated with a great
sense of fulfllment. However, anticipating and planning for retirement is not easy,
especially among the civil servants where majority fnd it difcult to make ends meet
even while still in services. Thus, the main focus of this study is to fnd out the sources
of stress of retired civil servants in Kwara state and the management strategies they are
using.
Purpose of the Study
This study is interested in establishing the nature/type of stress management
strategies being used by retired civil servants in Kwara state as a way of combating the
stress of retirement being experienced. It is the ultimate aim of the study to analyze the
counselling implications of these fndings. This is with a view to profering counselling
interventions likely to assist civil servants and other stakeholders in retirement
adjustment and management process.
Research Questions
1. What are the sources of retirement stress experienced by retired civil
servants in Kwara state?
2. What are the stress management strategies employed by retired civil servant
in Kwara state to combat retirement stress?
Research Hypotheses
1. There is no signifcant diference in retirement stress experienced by retired
civil servants in Kwara state on the basis of their sex.
2. There is no signifcant diference in retirement stress experienced by retired
civil servants in Kwara state on the basis of their educational qualifcation.
Methodology
The research design adopted for this study is the descriptive survey method.
The design was used because it would allow the researcher to obtain factual
information which will be a fair representation of the perceptions of the retired civil
servants in Kwara state about retirement stress being experienced by them. The
population for the study is all retired civil servants in Kwara state. But the sample was
made up of 115 retired civil servants (61 females and 54 males) randomly selected from
Pension Board ofce Ilorin. The instrument used for data collection is a researcher-
developed questionnaire titled Retirement Stress and Management Strategies
Perception Questionnaire (RSMSPQ). The instrument was validated by giving it to
experts in the feld of guidance and counselling for vetting. Based on their suggestions,
the initial draft was modifed for suitability. The modifed copy was administered twice
to 20 selected retired teachers in Ilorin West Local Government Area. The coefcient of
0.76 obtained was deemed high enough to justify the usage of the questionnaire for the
study.
Result
The results of data analysis are presented in two parts viz: rank order of
respondents views on both sources of retirement stress and management strategies
being experienced and used respectively, and fnally t-test analysis for the hypotheses
generated.
Table 1: Rank order distribution of respondents on sources of retirement stress
S/N Items N % Rank
1. Stigma of being referred to as a retired person. 99 86 3
rd

2. Problem of adjustment to post-retirement life style. 95 83 7
th

3. Problem of insufcient fnancial resources. 102 89 1
st

4. Problem of accommodation for post-retirement life
style.
97 84 5
th

5. Problem of ageing and imminent death. 85 73 10
th

6. Problem of learning a new survival skill for post-
retirement life.
97 84 5
th

7. Problem of managing irregular or non payment of
retirement beneft.
99 86 3
rd

8. Problem of managing new and low social status. 95 82 7
th

9. Coping with long hours with my partner without our
children.
90 78 9
th

10. Problem of managing surplus time at my disposal. 100 87 2
nd

It is clear from table 1 that majority (102 i.e. 89%) of retired civil servants in
Kwara state experience retirement stress. From the list shown in table 1, it could be
seen that the retirement stress are from ten broad sources viz: insufcient fnancial
resources; (102 or 89%), problem of managing surplus time at their disposal (100 or
87%), stigma of being referred to as a retired person (99 or 86%) and problem of
managing irregular or non-payment of retirement beneft (99 or 86%). Other problem
sources deduced from the list on the table are problems of learning new survival skill
for post-retirement life (97 or 84%); fnding suitable accommodation at that age and for
their new status, (95 or 82%), adjustment to post retirement life style (95 or 83%),
coping with long idle hours with their partners (90 or 78%), while problem of ageing and
fear of imminent death is another source of stress for retired civil servants in Kwara
state.
Table 2: Rank order distribution of respondents on management strategies of
stress alleviation
S/N Items N % Rank
1. Visiting my age-long friends to keep in touch. 95 85 7
th

2. Engaging in part-time assignments to make more
money.
100 87 4
th

3. Engaging in political activities on behalf of my people. 100 87 4
th

4. Learning to mind my own business. 104 90.4 3
rd

5. Leading a moderate life style. 98 85 6
th

6. Talking to people I trust. 110 96 1
st

7. Dedicating more time to religious activities. 107 93 2
nd

8. Engaging in exercises to keep ft. 92 80 8
th


Table 2 reveals that retired civil servants in Kwara state are using eight stress
management strategies which in order of magnitude include talking to a trusted people
(110 or 96%); dedicating more time to religious activities (107 or 93%), minding ones
business (104 or 90.4%), seeking communal recognition via participation in political
activities (100 or 87%); seeking extra source of fund through participation in part-time
assignment (100 or 97%); learning to lead a moderate life (i.e. 98 or 85%); and
socialization by visiting childhood friends (95 or 85%).
Hypothesis testing
Hypothesis one: There is no signifcant diference in the retirement stress of retired
civil servants in Kwara state on the basis of their sex.
Table 3: T-test analysis of respondents retirement stress on the basis of their sex
Sex of
respondents
N X SD DF Cal.
t-value
Crit.
t-value
Female 61 15.8 5.9
113 1.94 1.64
Male 54 4.2 1.8

It is clear from table 3 that the calculated t-value (1.94) is greater than the
critical t-value (1.64) at 0.05 signifcance levels and for 113 degree of freedom. Thus,
the null hypothesis which states that there is no signifcant diference on the basis of
respondents sex is rejected. Hence, there is signifcant diference in the perception of
retirement stress by retired civil servants in Kwara State on the basis of their sex.
Table 4: T-test analysis of respondents retirement stress on the basis of their
educational background
Educational level
of respondents
N X SD DF Cal.
t-value
Crit.
t-value
Pry & Sec. Edu 39 10.2 2.7
113 1.78 1.64
Post Sec. Edu. 76 13.9 4.5

Table 4 shows that the calculated t-value (1.78) is greater than the critical t-
value (1.64) at 0.05 signifcance levels and for 113 degree of freedom. Thus, the null
hypothesis which posits a lack of diference on the basis of educational qualifcation is
rejected. Hence, there is signifcant diference in the perceptions of retirement stress by
retired civil servants in Kwara state on the basis of their educational qualifcation.
Discussion
It is clear from the fndings of this study that majority of the retired civil
servants in Kwara state experience retirement stress. Insufcient fnancial resources
top the list of sources of retirement stress. The sources of stress of retired civil servants
are categorized into ten broad areas viz: insufcient fnancial resources; managing
surplus time at ones disposal; coping with stigma of been referred to as a retired
person; managing irregular or non-payment of retirement benefts; problem of learning
a new survival skill for post-retirement life; fnding suitable accommodation at that age
for their new social status; coping with long idle hours with ones partner and problem
of ageing and fear of imminent death.
The implications of the fnding of this study include the fact that retirement for
civil servants in Kwara state is stressful. This is in line with the submission of Elezua
(1998) that retirement in Nigeria is traumatic especially bearing in mind the unstable
nature of the nations economy. Similarly, this fnding corroborates Oniyes (2001)
assertion that workers in Kwara state experience retirement stress. Furthermore, the
fnding that majority of the retired civil servants experience retirement stress tends to
reinforce the submission by Retire to Enjoy (2004), that retirement stress cuts across
eight broad areas, i.e. money, health, ageing, search for meaningful activities, work in
retirement, marital status, caring for family members and problem of relocation.
It is also clear from the fnding of the study that retired civil servants in Kwara
state have devised a number of ways of dealing with the problem of retirement stress.
Essentially, it has been found out that, they have been trying out at least eight broad
strategies for combating the stress associated with retirement in the state. The
strategies reported by the retired civil servants in their order of patronage or utilization
include: talking to trusted people; dedicating more time to religious activities; learning
to mind their own business; engaging in part-time assignments as way of making ends
meet; engaging in political activities; leading moderate life; visiting age-long friends to
keep in touch and engaging in physical exercise as a way of keeping ft respectively.
The fnding above is not surprising, especially noting the fact that retirement for
a great majority of retirees could be a time of idleness during which the retired-person
has little or nothing to do with his/her time. Therefore, it is only sheer corollary that
retired civil servants have devised diferent ways of combating retirement stress they are
experiencing. Again, this fndings lends credence to the assertion by Marceau (1998),
that a worker and retiree can handle retirement if he learns to do ten things; being
himself leading a well-balanced life; eating sensibly; venting stress physically (through
exercise); adopting a calming routine; talking with people he can trust; taking control of
his life; brainstorming about the causes of stress; constructive use of imagination and
devising ways of managing himself diferently.
It is important to note the fnding on the existence of sex and educational
diferences in the retirement stress being experienced by retired civil servant. This
fnding brings to the fore, issue of gender and education in individual adjustment to
retirement. Susan, Peter, Barbara, Peter, Margrit, Caalill and Dean (2003) submitted
that education or enlightenment is needed to understand the true nature of stress and
profer meaningful management strategies anticipated this development. Similarly, the
realization that there is sex diference in the perception of retirement stress by retired
civil servant reinforces the notion that retirement stress and eventual adjustment to it,
is to a large extent individualistic in nature (Elezua, 1998).
Counselling Implications
It could be inferred from the fndings of this study that retirement from work
does create a lot of problems for retirees. These problems range from sudden loss of
income, fnancial insufciency and anxiety, deteriorating health condition, anxiety
about suitable post-retirement accommodation to problem of learning new survival
skills for post-retirement life. The implication of this awareness supports the
submission of Billings (2004) that the individual who is bound to retire some day must
decide for him/herself the type of life he/she wishes to live. It is imperative also that
the individual must consider those resources he/she would need in order to satisfy
his/her dependants. This is crucial if it is noted that the factors that may infuence
success or failure in retirement are infnite. These include educational background;
family background; government policy; and personal investment among others.
Also we should bear in mind that our age-long reliance on children as a form of
social security is fading away. Again, this implies that all prospective retirees must
start very early to plan for the kind of life they want to live in retirement. It has been
noted that most people (especially children) who are supposed to care for the aged and
retirees cannot do so again because of their own economic incapability (Abolarin, 1997).
Another implication of the fndings of this study is that old people or retired
people must be provided with retirement counselling services. According to Odebunmi
(1990) and Ode (1992), it is not uncommon to see very active or agile men and women
becoming very fragile and suddenly growing dismally old one or two years after
retirement. This is believed to be as a result of lack of adequate pre-retirement planning
and counselling. Therefore, it is essential for counsellors to be alert to their
responsibility in providing all workers with well packaged pre-retirement counselling as
well as meeting the counselling needs of retired persons.
Specifcally, it is essential that all workers and retired persons be counselled on
the need for holistic preparation for retirement. In this vein, the views expressed by
Mboto (2004) become imperative. Mboto noted that this holistic preparation must cover
areas such as fnancial preparation, psychological preparation, and appropriate
documentation, preparation towards the use of the expected retirement benefts, time
management and preparation for the retirement home. The benefts derivable from the
pre-retirement planning and counselling being advocated include the fact that it would
enable all prospective retirees and those already retired to:
(i) make adequate fnancial preparation for retirement thereby avoiding
incidence of retirement adjustment failure;
(ii) prepare psychologically for eventual retirement thus overcoming its
attendant fear and anxiety;
(iii) adapt meaningful life after retirement;
(iv) manage efectively their fnancial resources as a source of investment
against old age when a typical retiree is commonly confronted with
dwindling income and
(v) Protect ones self esteem and family front as a credible investment for
post-retirement life style.
Furthermore, counsellors intervention approach would have to include the three
fundamental services of Assisting, Clarifying and Referral (ACR) to the workers and by
extension the retired persons. In assisting the workers, it is expected that the
counsellor would provide information relating to health, fnance, housing, and a variety
of other concerns to daily living of the retirees and those yet to retire. Clarifcation
service demands that among other things, the counsellor should clarify the occasions
surrounding the retirement of a client. This is crucial if they are to be assisted to
accept their retirement and adjust meaningful to it. It is not a crime for a counsellor to
refer clients and cases he/she could not handle. Thus, counsellors who handle issues
of retirement should not hesitate to make use of referral outlets available in their
working environment. This is important if the goal of ensuring workers and retires
optimal adjustment to retirement life is to be accomplished as elucidated by Okorodudu
(1998).
Recommendations
Based on the fndings of this study, it is recommended that all workers and
retirees should avail themselves of the total package of retirement strategies advocated
by Marceau (1998). According to the author, retirement planning should refect the
individuals dreams, hopes, and aspirations in addition to meeting day-today
obligations. It is essential that all prospective retirees should begin with a personal goal
setting exercise that refects how the individual wants to spend the last third of his/her
life. The question is not just can I aford it? It is also how do I want to spend the last
time I have left?
Bearing in mind that management is a multidimensional phenomenon
concerned with activities that take place in an environment that is composed of
economic, physical, social, psychological, political and technical structures
(Abdulkareem, 2000); all employers should incorporate a mandatory retirement
counselling and general management into their staf induction programmes.
Government should also establish a more realistic tripartite mandatory
retirement saving scheme to which all employees their employers and the government
will contribute. However, the main signatory to the account into which this fund is kept
should be the individual employee who statutorily will be empowered to withdraw from
it after successful disengagement from paid employment i.e. a month after his/her
retirement. This should take the place of the present controversy-ridden mandatory
retirement/pension saving scheme of the federal government (see Pension Reform Act,
2004).
Conclusion
It can be concluded from the fndings of this study that retirement at present is
generally stressful for retired civil servants in Kwara state. It can also be inferred that
retired civil servants in Kwara state are experiencing retirement stress from ten broad
sources. According to the study, the retires have retirees according to the study. They
have acknowledged using eight diferent retirement stress management strategies. It is
clear from the fndings of this study that there are both sex and educational diferences
in the perception of retirement stress by retired civil servants in Kwara state.
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