Active ageing beyond the labour market: evidence on the role of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards at work

‘Active Ageing’ strategies aim to foster the participation of seniors in the society. Although economic literature has extensively studied the incentives for seniors to increase their labour supply, little is known about the motivations for older people to complement labour with other forms of social participation. This article provides empirical evidence of the role of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards received at work in the supply of formal and informal productive activities of 50- to 65-year-old workers. The results show that workers with higher levels of intrinsic rewards received at work, such as skill development opportunities and decision latitude, are more likely to participate in social activities outside the labour market. Extrinsic rewards on the other hand, like advancement perspectives, job security and pay, appear independent from both formal and informal social participation.