Family expectations, social capital and perceived Well-Being in the transition to retirement

This paper presents preliminary findings from an ongoing quantitative survey involving a sample of workers aged over 55, aimed at analyzing the relational determinants that influence retirement decisions and trajectories. The study focuses on the role of family expectations, social capital, and work-life balance (WLB), within a broader mixed-method research design that conceptualizes retirement as a relational, multi-level, and context-dependent process. Preliminary data indicate that higher attention to family expectations is significantly associated with greater bonding social capital and stronger family networks, but also with lower levels of WLB. This suggests a potential trade-off between caregiving responsibilities and individual well-being. Conversely, respondents who assign lower importance to family expectations tend to report higher WLB scores, while maintaining sufficient bridging social capital. Initial analyses also show that the intention to remain active through paid work or volunteering after retirement is positively correlated with bridging social capital and reflects a proactive orientation. Engagement in sports, travel, and lifelong learning is associated with higher levels of subjective well-being, whereas intensive grandparenting, despite reinforcing family ties, appears linked to lower WLB. These early findings underscore the importance of integrating the relational dimension into retirement and ageing policies, supporting not only individual choices but also the quality of social and intergenerational ties that shape retirement trajectories.