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Abstract

This study aims to analyze the motivations and participation and continuity factors of voluntary activities among retired government employees and, thus, offer theoretical and policy recommendations to encourage and retain their involvement. A total of 337 retired government employees in South Korea were surveyed in this study. First, this study found that the most important motivations for volunteering among retired government employees are other-oriented (altruistic) (67.5%) rather than self-oriented (egoistic) (29.2%). Second, personal difficulties in participating in volunteer activities for retired employees were lack of expertise, health problems, and economic burden. Third, the main characteristics of retired employees participating in volunteer activities were retirees who have volunteering experience while working in the past, are women, are active participants in religious activities, and have a high level of education. Finally, retired employees who continued to volunteer after retirement had the following characteristics: a relatively long post-retirement period, volunteer experience while in office, good economic conditions, self-recognized poor health conditions, and high overall life satisfaction.

Plain language summary

Exploring why retired government employees volunteer in South Korea

This research looks into why retired government employees in South Korea choose to volunteer and what makes them continue doing so. I surveyed 337 retired government workers to understand their motivations and challenges. The study revealed that most retirees volunteer because they want to help others (67.5%), showing a strong focus on altruism rather than personal gain (29.2%). I also discovered that personal challenges, like lack of expertise, health issues, and economic burdens, can hinder retired individuals from participating in volunteer activities. Additionally, the study highlighted certain characteristics of retired employees who actively volunteer. They tend to be individuals who volunteered while working, women, active in religious activities, and highly educated. Those who continue volunteering after retirement, typically have spent a longer time in retirement, have prior volunteer experience from their working years, enjoy good economic conditions, acknowledge some health challenges, and report high overall life satisfaction. The findings of this research aim to provide insights for encouraging and sustaining the involvement of retired government employees in volunteer work, suggesting both theoretical and practical recommendations.

Keywords

retired older adults volunteer activity active aging productive aging South Korea

Introduction

Global population aging is not a new phenomenon, at least, not in developed countries. Today, people over the age of 60 have a longer life expectancy and more educational attainment than previous generations. Furthermore, many of them want to continue contributing to the well-being of their families and communities even after retirement (Celdran et al., 2018; Gonzales et al., 2015). This phenomenon was recognized as active aging (WHO, 2002). This refers to the opportunities for older adults to stay involved in wide-ranging social, economic, and cultural activities. Among these activities, scholars have given particular attention to volunteering in old age (Van Den Bogaard et al., 2013). From the perspective of active aging, volunteering is considered an important social policy area that can improve the well-being of the older adult population (Palaz, 2021) and allow active older people to contribute to the sustainability of the welfare state (Kobayashi et al., 2019; Walker, 2016).

Volunteering can be conceptualized as spending time for the common good, which should be done with free will, and not for financial rewards. Moreover, it may be done under the auspices of a formal organization or in an informal context (Palaz, 2021). Compared to non-volunteers, older volunteers are more likely to exhibit higher life satisfaction and subjective health (Luoh & Herzog, 2002; Morrow-Howell et al., 2003; Stukas et al., 2015) and a lower risk of depressive symptoms (Li & Ferraro, 2006), frailty (Jung et al., 2010), high blood pressure (Sneed & Cohen, 2013), and mortality (Okun et al., 2013). In particular, volunteering by older adults is vital to reducing the social costs of providing welfare services, which is inevitable in an aging society, boosting social productivity, and enriching senior citizens’ daily lives (Dury et al., 2016).

South Korea (hereafter “Korea”) is experiencing a rapid increase in the aging population. The percentage of older adults (over the age of 65 years) in Korea has steadily grown from 3.1% in the 1970s to 7.2% in the 2000s, and it is forecasted to grow to 20.8% by 2026. Thus, Korea is rapidly becoming one of the fastest-aging countries in the world (Government Employees Pension Service, 2019).

Nonetheless, a few studies on the quality of life of the elderly in Korea have shown that the majority of retired employees (or employees who will retire soon) are unprepared for the post-retirement life due to the burden of continuing to provide financial support to both their children and elderly parents (Chae, 2013). As a result, this population tends to remain involved in various economic activities, even after “retirement.” Consequently, the percentage of retirees aged 60 or above participating in volunteer activities is only 7.0% compared to 19.3% (as of 2018) of the entire Korean population who volunteer (Statistics Korea, 2019).

Retired government employees in Korea enjoy a relatively advantageous economic lifestyle compared to retired employees in the private sector, as they enjoy job security before retirement and are paid a monthly pension after retirement. Since 2014, at least 30,000 government employees have retired each year due to Korea’s rapidly aging society. This number is projected to increase, as government employees belonging to the “baby boom generation” will start to retire in a few years (Kim, 2018).

In this era of population aging, older adults, especially retired government employees, are expected to engage in volunteer activities. Nonetheless, few studies have examined the volunteer activities of retired government employees in Korea. Even in an international academic context, few scholars have studied the volunteering practices of retired government employees.

Thus, this study aims to analyze the primary motivations and participation and continuation factors of volunteering among retired government employees in Korea and, thus, offer theoretical and policy recommendations to encourage and retain their involvement. To that end, we conducted an in-depth review of literature on the motivations for participation, participation factors, and participation continuation factors related to volunteer activities and, based on that, framed research questions. To answer these research questions, we surveyed 337 retired government employees who participate in volunteer activities and those who do not.

Literature Review

Motivations and Difficulties of Participating in Volunteer Activities

There is extensive research on motives for volunteering. In this research, the most commonly applied theoretical framework is self-determination theory (SDT). SDT holds that individuals are self-motivated, curious, and reward seeking and, thus, determined to succeed (Deci & Ryan, 2008). SDT distinguishes motivations into intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. Intrinsic motivations indicate behaviors and activities that are interesting and satisfying to an individual, whereas extrinsic motivations indicate external factors that drive individuals to seek desirable outcomes. There are four types of extrinsic motivation: integrated, identified, introjected, and external motivations. Integrated motivation suggests that individuals integrate the values of volunteering. Identified motivation suggests that individuals recognize and willingly accept volunteering as a value. Introjected motivation suggests that individuals volunteer to prove something or avoid guilt or anxiety. Lastly, external motivation suggests that individuals volunteer to receive others’ approval (Bidee et al., 2013). Previous studies show that extrinsic and intrinsic motivations form a continuum of motivations, from passive compliance to self-determined (Deci & Ryan, 2008; Nencini et al., 2016; van Schie et al., 2015).

For the past three decades, a large body of literature has explored why older people engage in volunteer activities (Chambre, 1987; L. H. Choi, 2003; Dury et al., 2016; Tang, 2008). Similar to Deci and Ryan’s (2008) classification of volunteer motives, Principi et al. (2012) suggested that the motivation for older adults to participate in volunteer activities exist along a continuum ranging from altruistic (other-oriented motives) to egoistic motives (self-oriented motives). The most prevalent other-oriented motives include the desire to help others, solve others’ problems, change the face of society, rectify injustices in the community, or fulfill an obligation to society (Stukas et al., 2016). Conversely, self-oriented motives include the need to talk to people, make friends, the opportunity for social interactions or the use of an existing talent (Wardell et al., 2000). Further, there are also therapeutic purposes of volunteering, in that it helps reduce loneliness, depression and other forms of emotional deprivation (Musick & Wilson, 2003), as well as circumstantial reasons such as an organization’s proximity to the volunteer, media influences, religious beliefs, and situations where volunteers have received assistance themselves (Musick & Wilson, 2008).

A substantial amount of previous empirical research have shown that volunteer activities of older adults are driven by both altruistic and self-oriented motives (Stukas et al., 2016). However, the motives of volunteering are different in older adults compared to younger adults. For instance, older volunteers were found to have lower career motives (career-related benefits) than younger ones (Clary & Snyder, 1999), and they place more importance on social motives (both conforming to the normative influences of others and the opportunity to have relationships with others) than younger volunteers (Stukas et al., 2016). Further, value motives of individuals (related to altruistic beliefs) increases with age, and the importance of learning motives (learning new skills and exercising knowledge and abilities) declines in with age (Davila & Diaz-Morales, 2009). Although there are numerous studies on the motivation of volunteering among older people, there are limited studies on identifying the motivation of volunteering among retired government employees.

In fact, although volunteering is important in the context of contemporary aging, older adults face many difficulties in participating in volunteer activity. First, older adults face concerns about financial costs, particularly those with low incomes (J. D. Smith & Gay, 2005). Volunteering also involves inflexible schedules, and people are too busy with other activities. Volunteer organizations prefer to work with young volunteers, are often poorly managed, and do not use volunteers’ skills or experience effectively (Steinberg & Cain, 2004). Older adult volunteers are also concerned that they will experience age discrimination. Volunteer work can also be boring, and existing volunteers do not make new volunteers feel welcome (Warburton et al., 2007). Based on above studies, the following research question was developed:

Research Question 1: What are the main motivations for retired government employees to participate in volunteer activities, and what are the difficulties in volunteering?

Factors Affecting the Participation in Volunteer Activities

More theoretical explanations of volunteering among older adults emerge through integrated theory by combining volunteer activities and the corresponding influencing factors (Dury et al., 2016). D. H. Smith (1994) presents five factors, namely, contextual, social background, personality, attitudinal, and situational factors, as determinants of volunteerism by examining social psychology studies published between 1975 and 1992. Musick and Wilson (2008) describe three aspects (subjective disposition, individual resources, and contextual factors) by reviewing sociological studies on volunteering. Moreover, Chen (2013) added government policy as an important factor for volunteer participation, which is the reason why government policy, directly and indirectly, affects volunteering through institutions such as social welfare agencies, schools, businesses, religious organizations, and families.

As discussed above, the classification of features that influence or determine volunteer activities can differ depending on how one extricates or integrates factors (Butrica et al., 2009). This study divides the factors that impact volunteer activities among the elderly into two categories—individual (personal) and social (collective) factors—depending on whether the focus is on personal (individual) traits or socio-environmental (collective) factors, respectively.

First, the primary area of interest for most scholars over the past 50 years is volunteers’ personal (individual) traits. Researchers noticed that those who tend to volunteer have a higher socioeconomic status (Musick & Wilson, 2008; Palaz, 2021), are married (Pudrovska et al., 2006), are members of a religious organization, are high-income individuals (Tang, 2008), are well-educated (Palaz, 2021; Wilson, 2012), are relatively healthy (L. H. Choi, 2003; Palaz, 2021), are more likely to be men than women, enjoy comprehensive access to a social network (Paik & Navarre-Jackson, 2011), and have volunteer experience (Chambre, 1987).

Next, socioenvironmental (collective) factors refer to the social environment, social integration, and social roles (Dury et al., 2016). Research indicates that homeowners are more likely to volunteer than renters (Rotolo et al., 2010), that older adults who maintain wide-angling informal ties are more likely to volunteer (Paik & Navarre-Jackson, 2011), and that marital disruption through divorce or separation may hamper volunteering (Pudrovska et al., 2006). Some empirical evidence related to regions and volunteerism is somewhat mixed. For instance, those living in smaller, close-knit communities are more likely to volunteer than those living in urban regions (Oliver, 2000). In another study, no meaningful difference between urban and rural regions is found in the participation in volunteer activities (Stebaly, 1987). D. H. Smith (1994) and Goss (1999) argue that middle-income and middle-aged people, as well as community organizations (e.g., churches or civic groups), tend to volunteer more than low-income individuals, the young or the elderly, and other organizations. Based on these identified factors, this study was designed to answer the following research question:

Research Question 2: What are the factors that affect the participation of retired government employees in volunteer activities?

Factors Influencing the Continuity of Volunteer Activities

The theoretical significance of explaining the continuity of volunteer activities among the elderly population is based on continuity theory (Atchley, 1989), which posits that, with aging, individuals will attempt to maintain the roles and activity patterns that they established earlier in their lives. Another rationale is the role of the substitution mechanism, which implies that if an activity is interrupted by, for example, retirement, the lost activity may be substituted by another activity (e.g., volunteering) (Mutchler et al., 2003). For instance, following widowhood, individuals may try to maintain types and levels of social participation as before the loss of their spouse (N. G. Choi et al., 2007). Even when obligations such as care giving occupies older adults’ time, they are likely to continue in their volunteer work (Donnelly & Hinterlong, 2009).

In this context, empirical researches confirm that the most significant predictor of regular participation in volunteer activity is previous engagement in the same volunteer activity (Di Gessa & Grundy, 2017; Erlinghagen, 2010; Vangen et al., 2021). If seniors were involved in volunteer work before leaving the labor market, chances are they will continue to do so. Hogg (2016) argued that if people are socialized into a volunteer identity earlier in life, they may easily resume voluntary work later in life (referred to as serial volunteers). In that respect, Vangen et al. (2021) claimed that governments and organizations should, therefore, deliver information to men and women approaching retirement age to facilitate voluntary work among the retired. Further, partnerships could be built between employers and the voluntary sector to open the door to volunteering for older workers ahead of retirement. Promoting volunteering among younger groups may also prove fruitful (Vangen et al., 2021).

Another theoretical basis for explaining the continuity of volunteer activities among the elderly can be found in socioemotional selectivity theory (SST). This theory assumes that the quality of experience while pursuing an activity is a stronger motivator for older adults than younger adults (Carstensen et al., 1999). Specifically, SST holds that, as individuals age, they become more aware of the shrinkage of time left to live. Consequently, they increasingly prefer relationships and activities that are likely to provide them with experiential rewards in the present—in particular, emotional meaning (EM)—rather than uncertain gains to be realized only in the future (Fung & Carstensen, 2004). An important implication for social activities of older adults is that they are more likely to select and want to persist in formal prosocial activities if they perceive these activities to have EM. Previous studies on the continuity of prosocial activities among older adults show that socioemotional selection based on experiences during prosocial program activities may contribute to the continuity of specific prosocial endeavors in late adulthood (Nakamura et al., 2021). As above, despite studies on the continuity of volunteer activities among the elderly, there is still a lack of empirical research on factors that affect the continuity of their participation in volunteer activities (Chen & Tian, 2023). Based on above arguments, this study designed the following research question:

Research Question 3: What are the factors that affect the continuity of volunteer activity among retired government employees?

Methods

Research Design

Based on the studies discussed above, in this study, participants and non-participants of volunteer activities were surveyed to analyze the participation and continuity of volunteer activities among retired government employees in Korea. The variables to be measured using this survey were categorized into (1) demographic, (2) sociological, and (3) volunteer activity variables. Demographic variables included gender, age, education, position at the time of retirement, total term of office of public employees, and period after retirement; sociological variables included the degree of self-reported health, level of satisfaction with economic status, level of satisfaction with overall current life, number of household members living together, religious status, and the degree of participation in religious activities; and variables related volunteer activity included experience of participation in volunteer activities while in office, period of volunteer participation while in office, current participation in volunteer activities after retirement, period of volunteer participation after retirement, frequency of participation in volunteering after retirement, field of participation in volunteer activities, level of satisfaction with volunteer activities, intention to participate in volunteer activities in the future, motivations to participate in volunteer activities, personal difficulties of participating in volunteer activities, and reasons for not engaging in volunteer activities.

Survey items dealing with motivations to participate in volunteer activities, personal difficulties of participating in volunteer activities, and reasons for not activating volunteer activities were designed to identify the main motivations of retired government employees for participating in volunteer activities, to understand the personal difficulties of retired government employees in participating in volunteer activities, and to explore ways to promote volunteer activities by identifying the reasons why retirees do not engage in voluntary activities. These survey variables consisted of yes-or-no, five-point scale, and multiple choice questions. Detailed measurement variables, operational definitions of variables, and the measurement methods are presented in the following sections (see Table 1).

Table 1.

Operational Defintions of Measured Variables and Measuring Methods.

Measured variable	Operational definition and measurement of variable
Demographic variable
Gender	Respondent’s gender; 0 = male, 1 = female
Age	Respondent’s age; 1 = under 60, 2 = 60 and over and under 65 years old, 3 = 65 or older but less than 70 years old, 4 = 70 years or older
Education	Respondent’s highest level of education; 12 = high school or below, 14 = 2-year college, 16 = 4-year college, 18 = graduate or above
Position at the time of retirement	Respondent’s position at retirement; 1 = grade 6 or below, 2 = grade 5 or equivalent, 3 = grade 4 or above
Total term of office of the public official	Respondent’s total tenure in public office; 1 = under 25 years, 2 = 25 and over and less than 30 years, 3 = 30 and over and less than 35 years, 4 = 35 and over and less than 40 years, 5 = 40 years or above
Period after retirement	Respondent’s total years after retirement; 1 = under 5 years, 2 = 5 and over and less than 10 years, 3 = 10 and over and less than 15 years, 4 = 15 and over and less than 20 years, 5 = 20 years or above
Sociological variables
Degree of self-reported health	The level of health judged by the respondent; five-point scale (1–5 points)
Level of satisfaction with economic (income) status	Level of satisfaction with economic (income) status as judged by the respondent; five-point scale (1–5 points)
Level of satisfaction with overall current life	The level of satisfaction with the recent overall life as judged by the respondent; five-point scale (1–5 points)
Number of households living together	Number of household members living together (including the respondent); 1 = 1 person, 2 = 2 people(married couple), 3 = 3 or more (single, children or parents etc.)
Religious status	Respondent’s religious status; 0 = no religion, 1 = religion
Degree of participation in religious activities	Respondent’s level of participation in religious activities; five-point scale (1–5 points)
Variables related to volunteer activity
Experience of participation in volunteer activities while in office	Whether the respondent has experience participating in volunteer activities while in office; 0 = no participation experience, 1 = participation experience
Period of volunteer participation while in office	Period of respondent’s volunteer participation while in office; Total years of participation in volunteer activities while in office
Current participation in volunteer activities after retirement	Whether the respondent currently participates in volunteer activities after retirement; 0 = no participation, 1 = participation
Period of volunteer participation after retirement	(For participants only) Period of volunteer participation after the respondent’s retirement; Total years of participation in volunteer activities after retirement
Frequency of participation in volunteering after retirement	(For participants only) Frequency of respondent participation in volunteering after retirement; 1 = at least once a week, 2 = 2 to 3 times a month, 3 = once a month, 4 = once in 3 to 4 months, 5 = once every 6 months, 6 = once a year
Field of participation in volunteer activities	(For participants only) Field of participation of respondents in volunteer activities; 1 = public interest filed, 2 = welfare sector, 3 = education field, 4 = partial employment volunteer field, 5 = others
Level of satisfaction with volunteer activities	(For participants only) Respondent’s level of satisfaction with volunteer activities; five-point scale (1–5 points)
Intention to participate in volunteer activities in the future (to non-participants)	(For non-participants only) Respondent’s intention to participate in volunteer activities in the future; 1 = no participation, 2 = participation if possible, 3 = definitely participation
Motivations to participate in volunteer activities	Respondent’s motivations to participating in volunteer activities; One-choice of several items
Personal difficulties in participating in volunteer activities	Respondents’ personal difficulties in participating in volunteer activities; One-choice of several items
Reasons for not activating volunteer activities	Reasons for not activating volunteer activities in respondents’ judgment; One-choice of several items

Frequency analysis and group difference analysis (χ² test) were conducted to identify the main motives for volunteering and whether these motives differ according to gender and educational level and to analyze the differences of personal difficulties in participating in volunteer activities between participants and non-participants and the reasons why retirees do not engage in voluntary activities. Further, a hierarchical binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the factors affecting retired government employees’ participation in volunteer activities. Finally, hierarchical linear regression analysis was used to analyze the factors affecting the continuity of volunteer activities of retired government employees.

Survey Method

This study conducted a survey using a structured questionnaire for retired government employees, who were mainly government employees who have retired after serving as professional civil servants in central and local government agencies in Korea. This survey was administrated by mainly employing face-to-face method in which survey questionnaires were distributed among the participants and collected after being completed. To conduct a survey with retired government employees, their personal information was necessary to contact them. However, it was impossible to obtain personal information through relevant government agencies (i.e., Government Employees Pension Service) that manage their personal information due to the Personal Information Protection Act.

Alternatively, this study used two methods to contact the retired employees as practically possible. First, a survey was conducted at the time when retired civil servants visit the Government Employees Pension Service once a year to receive mandatory old life lectures. Second, a survey was conducted through various local volunteer agencies (i.e., Sangnok Volunteer Group) registered with the Government Employees Pension Service. In the first method, the survey was conducted from September 12 to October 10, 2017, during which 574 copies of the questionnaire were distributed among the retirees and 337 copies were collected. The survey areas were Yeongdeungpo, Seongnam, Incheon, Bucheon, and Goyang. The second survey method was carried out from September 15 to October 15, 2017, and 350 copies of the questionnaire were distributed, of which 287 copies were collected. The regional Sangnok volunteer corps who responded to the survey included the Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, Gwangju, Daegu, Gangwon, and Jeju branches. Thus, 624 questionnaires were collected. However, many of them were inappropriate for the coding process in the in-depth analysis because they contained no responses at all or no responses to some items. To ensure a meaningful data analysis, questionnaires with incomplete answers were excluded from the data pool. Thus, a total of 387 questionnaires were used for the analysis.

In terms of sample size, as of 2017, the total population of retired government employees (excluding discharged military personnel) is 306,583 (Government Employees Pension Service, 2018). Out of 306,583 retired government employees, 624 were selected through a proportional stratified sampling method, which considered the size of the population in each region. The sample size of 624 led to a maximum sample error of 3.92% with p at the 95% confidence level. However, the sample size for the final analysis of this study, after the exclusion of incomplete questionnaires, was 387, which led to a maximum sample error of 5.0% with p at the 95% confidence level. Prior to the survey, to increase the reliability and validity of the survey items, two experts in the volunteering research field and three retired employees were consulted twice (June 2 and June 10, 2017). Their feedback was considered to revise of the questionnaire items. In addition, a pilot survey was administered to 10 retired public officials from July 10 to 31, 2017 to improve the completeness of the revised questionnaire.

Results

Descriptive Statistics

The results of descriptive statistical analysis of the demographic, sociological, and volunteer-related measurement variables of the 387 retired government employees in this survey are as follows. First, regarding demographic characteristics of the sample (n = 387), 82.7% were male and 17.3% were female, that is, there are about four-and-a-half times as many men as women in the sample. In terms of age, the average age was 64.9 years old—7.0% were under 60 years, 41.9% were 60 to 65 years, 34.9% were 65 to 70 years, and 16.3% were over 70 years. In terms of education, most were 4-year college graduates (34.6%), followed by graduate school graduates (27.4%), and high school graduates (24.0%). Regarding the position at the time of retirement, most were Grade 6 government employees (33.6%), followed by Grade 5 (31.5%), and Grade 4 and above (25.1%). In terms of tenure, the average tenure was 34.1 years—most had a tenure of 30 to 35 years (38.8%), followed by 35 to 40 years (30.0%). Regarding the time elapsed since retirement, the average time elapsed was 6.3 years—for most, the time elapsed was less than 5 years (43.7%), followed by 5 to 10 years (34.9%).

In terms of health, the average degree of self-reported health was 3.7 out of 5 points; satisfaction with economic (income) status averaged 3.1 out of 5 points; and satisfaction with overall life averaged 3.4 out of 5 points. The most common number of household members living together (including the respondent) was three people (51.2%), followed by two people (43.2%), and one person (5.7%). Moreover, 70.5% followed a religion, and the level of participation in religious activities averaged 2.9 out of 5 points. Further, 40.8% had experience participating in volunteer activities during service, and the average period of participation was 4.8 years. Moreover, 48.6% were currently participating in volunteer activities after retirement—the average period of participation was 3.4 years. As for the frequency of participation, most respondents participated once a week (47.9%), followed by 2 to 3 times a month (30.9%), and once a month (12.2%). Concerning the field of participation, 31.4% volunteered in the fields of public interest and education, followed by the welfare field (30.3%). The average participation satisfaction of volunteer activity participants was 3.7 out of 5 points. Among non-participants, 88.4% answered that they would participate in future volunteer activities if possible (see Table 2).

Table 2.

Descriptive Analysis of Measured Variables.

Measured variables (N = 387)	Percent/mean/standard deviation
Demographic variables
Gender	Male (82.7%), female (17.3%)
Age	Mean = 64.9, standard deviation = 4.5; under 60 (7.0%), 60 and over and under 65 years old (41.9%), 65 or older but less than 70 years old (34.9%), 70 years or older (16.3%)
Education	High school or below (24.0%), 2-year college (14.0%), 4-year college (34.6%), graduate or above (27.4%)
Position at the time of retirement	Grade 6 or below (33.6%), grade 5 or equivalent (31.5%), grade 4 or above (25.1%)
Total term of office of the public official	Mean = 34.1, standard deviation = 5.2; under 25 years (5.2%), 25 and over and less than 30 years (9.6%), 30 and over and less than 35 years (38.8%), 35 and over and less than 40 years (30.0%), 40 years or above (16.5%)
Period after retirement	Mean = 6.3, standard deviation = 5.1; under 5 years (43.7%), 5 and over and less than 10 years (34.9%), 10 and over and less than 15 years (14.0%), 15 and over and less than 20 years (5.7%), 20 years or above (1.8%)
Sociological variables
Degree of self-reported health (1–5 points)	Mean = 3.7, standard deviation = 0.9
Level of satisfaction with economic (income) status (1–5 points)	Mean = 3.1, standard deviation = 0.8
Level of satisfaction with overall current life (1–5 points)	Mean = 3.4, standard deviation = 0.8
Number of households living together	One person (5.7%), two people (married couple) (43.2%), three or more (single, children, or parents etc.) (51.2%)
Religious status	No religion (29.5%), religion (70.5%)
Degree of participation in religious activities (n = 273) (1–5 points)	Mean = 2.9, standard deviation = 0.9
Variables related to volunteer activities
Experience of participation in volunteer activities while in office	No participation experience (59.2%), participation experience (40.8%)
Period of volunteer participation while in office (n = 158)	Mean = 4.8, standard deviation = 5.6
Current participation in volunteer activities after retirement (n = 188)	No participation (51.4%), participation (48.6%)
Period of volunteer participation after retirement	Mean = 3.4, standard deviation = 2.8
Frequency of participation in volunteering after retirement (n = 188)	At least once a week (47.9%), 2 to 3 times a month (30.9%), once a month (12.2%), once in 3 to 4 months (4.3%), once every 6 months (2.7%), once a year (2.1%)
Field of participation in volunteer activities (n = 188)	Public interest filed (31.4%), welfare sector (30.3%), education field (31.4%), partial employment volunteer field (4.3%), others (2.7%)
Level of satisfaction with volunteer activities (n = 188) (1–5 points)	Mean = 3.7, standard deviation = 0.7
Intention to participation in volunteer activities in the future (to non-participants) (n = 199)	No participation (6.0%), participation if possible (88.4%), definitely participation (5.5%)

Motivations and Difficulties of Participating in Volunteer Activities

To obtain a deeper understanding of the retired government employees surveyed, their motivations and personal difficulties in participating in volunteer activities were analyzed, along with their reasons for not engaging in volunteer activities. Retired government employees volunteered because they wanted to help others (43.6%), utilize the knowledge and experience gained during their service (20.7%), gain a sense of enjoyment/satisfaction (15.4%), spend their leisure time on something rewarding (9.0%), earn self-respect and social security (4.8%), fulfill their social duties (3.2%), and practice their religious beliefs (3.2%). When the main motives for volunteering are classified as self-directed, other-directed, therapeutic, and circumstantial, other-oriented reasons are the more popular (67.5%) than egoistic reasons (29.2%) based on the responses to related survey items. Further, while circumstantial reasons were found in only 3.2% of respondents, none of them had a therapeutic motive.

The main motives for volunteering also showed a statistically significant difference according to gender and education level (see Table 3). Both males and females specified “to help other people” (46.2% and 35.6%, respectively) as their primary motivation for volunteering. However, the secondary reason was different. For example, men wanted “to utilize the knowledge and experience gained during his office” (20.3%), while women wanted “to gain enjoyment and satisfaction from volunteering” (24.4%). Furthermore, as the primary reason for volunteering, 2-year and 4-year graduates usually did volunteer work “to help other people” (52.5% and 46.0%, respectively), while graduate school graduates volunteered “to utilize their knowledge and experience gained during their service” (34.4%).

Table 3.

Motivation to Participate in Volunteer Activities Among Retired Government Employees.

Motivation for volunteering	Gender		Education			Sum (%)
Motivation for volunteering	Male (%)	Female (%)	Under 2-year-college (%)	4-year college (%)	Graduate or above (%)	Sum (%)
Other-directed
To help other people	46.2	35.6	52.5	46.0	32.8	43.6
To utilize the knowledge and experience gained during my service	20.3	22.2	11.5	15.9	34.4	20.7
To fulfill my duty as a member of the country/society	4.2	0.0	4.9	4.8	0.0	3.2
Self-directed
To earn self-respect and social recognition	2.8	11.1	1.6	9.5	3.1	4.8
To gain enjoyment and satisfaction from volunteering	12.6	24.4	18.0	9.5	18.8	15.4
To spend my leisure time on something rewarding	10.5	4.4	9.8	7.9	9.4	9.0
Therapeutic
To resolve a sense of powerlessness	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Circumstantial
To practice my religious beliefs	3.5	2.2	1.6	6.3	1.6	3.2
Sum (%, N)	100.0 (143)	100.0 (45)	100.0 (61)	100.0 (63)	100.0 (64)	100.0 (188)
Group difference analysis (X² test)	Cramer’s V = 12.451*		Cramer’s V = 24.799**

p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.

Personal difficulties in participating in volunteer activities included lack of expertise (31.3%), followed by health problems (29.2%), economic burden (15.8%), lack of time (11.4%), lack of transportation (6.2%), and presence of dependent family (4.9%). There was a statistically significant difference in personal difficulties between current participants and non-participants in volunteer activities. Regarding the difficulty of participating in volunteer activities, most participants specified health problems (28.7%) as a difficulty, followed by lack of expertise (24.5%), and economic burden (15.8%), whereas, for non-participants, lack of expertise (37.7%) was the most common difficulty, followed by health problems (29.6%) and economic burden (13.1%). In other words, participants think health is the most important element in volunteering, while non-participants think they should have expertise in participating in volunteer activities. This finding suggests that participants recognize the importance of health in continuing actual volunteer activities, while non-participants think that they may need to have activity-related expertise in order to volunteer.

Concerning reasons for retirees’ non-participation in volunteer activities (Table 4), the primary reason was lack of publicity of volunteer activities for retirees (25.8%), followed by lack of systematic management of volunteers (20.7%), lack of social support for volunteers (18.7%), lack of social awareness of volunteer activities for retirees (17.1%), selfish social climate (10.6%), and lack of diversity in volunteer programs (7.8%). There was no statistically significant difference for these reasons between participants and non-participants. In summation, the difficulties of retired government employees in participating in volunteer activities were lack of work expertise, health problems, and economic burdens. Among them, current volunteer participants considered health, while non-participants considered work expertise to be the most important criterion for participation in volunteering. Further, the reasons why retirees do not actively participate in volunteer activities include lack of publicity, lack of systematic management, lack of social support, and lack of social awareness in volunteer activities for retirees.

Table 4.

Difficulty in Participating in Volunteer Activities and the Reasons Why Volunteer Activities are Not Active.

Survey area	Detailed survey item	Non-participants (%, n)	Participants (%, N)	Mean (%, N)	Group difference analysis (X² test)
Personal difficulties in participating in volunteer activities (N = 387)	Health problems	29.6 (59)	28.7 (54)	29.2 (113)	Pearson X² = 19.946Cramer’s V = 0.227
	Lack of expertise	37.7 (75)	24.5 (46)	31.3 (121)
	I have a family to support	6.5 (13)	3.2 (6)	4.9 (19)
	Lack of time	6.5 (13)	16.5 (31)	11.4 (44)
	Lack of transportation	6.0 (12)	6.4 (12)	6.2 (24)
	Economic (cost) burden	13.1 (26)	18.6 (35)	15.8 (61)
	Other difficulties	0.5 (1)	2.1 (4)	1.3 (5)
Reasons for not activating volunteer activities for retirees (N = 387)	Lack of publicity for volunteer activities for retirees	26.6 (53)	25.0 (47)	25.8 (100)	Pearson X² = 7.817Cramer’s V = 0.142
	Lack of systematic management of volunteers	21.1 (42)	20.2 (38)	20.7 (80)
	Lack of social support for volunteers	13.1 (6.7)	23.4 (44)	18.1 (70)
	Selfish social climate	11.1 (22)	10.1 (19)	10.6 (41)
	Lack of social awareness of volunteer activities for retirees	19.1 (38)	14.9 (28)	17.1 (66)
	Lack of diversity in volunteer programs	9.0 (18)	6.4 (12)	7.8 (30)

p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.

Factors Influencing Participation in Volunteer Activities Among Retired Government Employees

To analyze the factors influencing the participation of retired government employees in volunteer activities, this study conducted a hierarchical logit regression analysis using the socio-demographics of retirees as independent variables and the participation of volunteer activities as a dependent variable. Socio-demographic variables include (1) demographic variables (gender, age, years of education, position at the time of retirement, total tenure of office, and period after retirement), (2) sociological variables (degree of self-reported health, level of satisfaction with economic status, level of satisfaction with overall current life, number of household members living together, and degree of participation in religious activities), and (3) volunteer-related variables (experience of participation in volunteer activities while in office). To verify the variance, statistical significance, and strictness of independent variables in the hierarchical logit regression model, hierarchical linear regression analysis was conducted by dividing independent variables into three stages (Models 1, 2, and 3).

The hierarchical logit regression analysis (based on Model 3) of whether retired government employees participated in current volunteer activities showed that the statistically significant variables with a confidence level above 95% were gender (β = 1.307, p < .01), years of education (β = .192, p < .05), degree of participation in religious activities (β = .488, p < .01), and experience of participation in volunteer activities while in office (β = 1.771, p < .001). Looking at the odds ratio (e^β), which represented the probability of participation of retired government employees in volunteer activities among the statistically significant variables, the experience of participation in volunteer activities while in office (e^β = 5.875) was found to be the highest—this indicated that retired government employees who have experience in volunteer activities while in office are 5.875 times more likely to participate in volunteer activities after retirement than those who do not—followed by gender (e^β = 3.732), degree of participation in religious activities (e^β = 1.629), and years of education (e^β = 1.212). This means that when retired government employees have more experience in volunteering during their tenure, more active participation in religious activities, and a higher education level, and are women, they are more likely to participate in volunteer activities after retirement, and vice versa (see Table 5). In other words, this indicates that retired government employees who participate in volunteer activities are characterized by retirees who have volunteer experience while working in the past, are women, have active participation in religious activities, and have a higher level of education.

Table 5.

Factors Affecting Retired Government Employees’ Participation in Volunteer Activities (Hierarchical Binary Logit Regression).

Demographic, sociological, and volunteer-related variables	Current participation in volunteer activity (no participation = 0, participation = 1)
	Model 1		Model 2			Model 3
	β	e ^β (odds ratio)	β	e ^β (odds ratio)	β	e ^β (odds ratio)
Gender (men = 0)	1.224**	3.401	1.314**	3.720	1.307**	3.732
Age (actual old year)	−.005	0.995	.000	1.000	.051	1.053
Years of education	.223**	1.250	0.224**	1.251	.192*	1.212
Position at the time of retirement (grade 6/5/4 above)	−.249	0.780	−.209	0.811	−.234	0.791
Total tenure of office	.036	1.036	.038	1.039	.013	1.013
Period after retirement	.077	1.080	.070	1.072	.059	1.060
Degree of self-reported health			.095	1.099	.080	1.084
Level of satisfaction with economic (income) status (1–5 points)			.121	1.128	.326	1.385
Level of satisfaction with overall current life (1–5 points)			−.217	0.805	−.282	0.754
Number of households living together			−.107	0.899	−.027	0.974
Degree of participation in religious activities (1–5 points)			.575***	1.778	.488**	1.629
Experience of participation in volunteer activities while in office (no experience = 0)					1.771***	5.875
Constant	−4.481	0.011	−6.397**	0.002	−9.238**	0.000
N/−2 log likelihoodModel Chi-squared/dfCox and Snell R²/Nagelkerke R²	246/314.93826.025***/6.100/.134		246/299.06341.900***/11.157/.209		246/266.48274.481***/12.261/.348

p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001.

Factors Affecting the Continuity of Volunteer Activities of Retired Government Employees

To analyze the factors affecting the continuity of volunteer activities among retired government employees, this study conducted a hierarchical linear regression analysis using the socio-demographics of retirees as independent variables and the period (year) of volunteer activity after retirement as a dependent variable. The independent variables to be used in this hierarchical linear regression analysis are the same as the demographic and sociological variables used in the hierarchical logit regression analysis previously. However, the number of volunteer-related variables became three after two variables (frequency of participation in volunteering after retirement and level of satisfaction with volunteer activities) were added to the existing one. As with the hierarchical logit regression analysis above, hierarchical linear regression analysis was conducted by dividing independent variables into three stages to verify the variance, statistical significance, and strictness of independent variables in the regression model.

As a result of hierarchical linear regression analysis (based on Model 3) of factors affecting the continuity of volunteer activities of retired government employees, the statistically significant variables with a confidence level above 90% were the period after retirement (β = .407, p < .01), degree of self-reported health (β = −.151, p < .05), level of satisfaction with economic status (β = .167, p < .05), level of satisfaction with overall current life (β = .147, p < .10), and experience of participation in volunteer activities while in office (β = .162, p < .05). The standard regression coefficient (β) indicates the relative importance of the independents variables in the following order: period after retirement (.407), level of satisfaction with economic status (.167), experience of participation in volunteer activities while in office (.162), degree of self-reported health (−.151), and level of satisfaction with overall current life (.147), positing these as the most important variables in continuing volunteer activities among retired government employees after retirement. This means that among retired government employees, the longer the period after retirement, the higher the satisfaction with the economic situation, the more experience in volunteer activities while in office, the more they think they are unhealthy, and the higher their life satisfaction, the more likely they are to continue to participate in volunteer activities even after retirement (see Table 6). In other words, this indicates that retired government employees who continued to volunteer after retirement were characterized by a relatively long post-retirement period, volunteer experience while in office, good economic conditions, self-recognized poor health conditions, and high overall life satisfaction.

Table 6.

Factors Affecting the Continuity of Volunteer Activities of Retired Government Employees (Hierarchical Linear Regression).

Demographic, sociological, and volunteer-related variables	Period of continuous participation in volunteer activities after retirement (total years of participation after retirement)
	Model 1		Model 2		Model 3
	b	β	b	β	b	β
Gender (men = 0)	0.981*	.136	0.554	.077	0.530	.074
Age (actual old year)	0.033	.052	0.036	.055	0.066	.102
Years of education	0.060	.044	0.029	.021	0.021	.016
Position at the time of retirement (Grade 6/5/4 above)	0.404	.109	0.304	.082	0.227	.061
Total tenure of office	0.018	.034	0.006	.011	−0.012	−.021
Period after retirement	0.268***	.459	0.259***	.443	0.238***	.407
Degree of self-reported health (1–5 points)			−0.503**	−.155	−0.491**	−.151
Level of satisfaction with economic (income) status (1–5 points)			0.553*	.148	0.627**	.167
Level of satisfaction with overall current life (1–5 points)			0.698**	.175	0.588*	.147
Number of households living together			−0.179	−.035	−0.068	−.013
Religious status (no religion = 0)			−0.057	−.008	0.005	.001
Experience of participation in volunteer activities while in office (no experience = 0)					0.989**	.162
Frequency of participation in volunteering after retirement					−0.043	−.017
Level of satisfaction with volunteer activities (1–5 points)					0.408	.098
Constant	−2.951		−3.582		−6.800
N/R²/Adjusted R²F-value/sig Durbin–Watson	170/.256/.2299.367/.000		170/.334/.2877.191/.000		170/.368/.3116.457/.0001.907

p < .10. **p < .05. ***p < .01.

Discussion

This study aimed to analyze the motives, participation, and continuation factors of volunteer activities among retired government employees by surveying 387 retired government employees in Korea. The analyses conducted in this study generated many results. First, the main motivations for retired government employees to participate in volunteer activities were to help others (43.6%), utilize one’s talent (20.7%), gain enjoyment (15.4%), spend leisure time (9.0%), earn self-respect (4.8%), fulfill social duties (3.2%), and practice religious beliefs (3.2%). When the main motives for volunteering are classified as self-directed, other-directed, therapeutic, and circumstantial motives, other-oriented reasons were found to be more popular (67.5%) than egoistic reasons (29.2%) based on the related survey items. Further, circumstantial motives are specified by only 3.2% of respondents, while none mentioned a therapeutic motive. The main motives for volunteering also showed a statistically significant difference according to gender and education level. For example, men wanted “to utilize the knowledge and experience gained during his office” (20.3%), while women wanted “to gain enjoyment and satisfaction from volunteering” (24.4%). Furthermore, as the primary reason for volunteering, 2-year and 4-year graduates usually did volunteer work “to help other people” (52.5% and 46.0%, respectively), while graduate school graduates volunteered “to utilize their knowledge and experience gained during their service” (34.4%).

Second, personal difficulties in participating in volunteer activities included lack of expertise (31.3%), followed by health problems (29.2%), economic burden (15.8%), lack of time (11.4%), lack of transportation (6.2%), and presence of dependent family (4.9%). There was a statistically significant difference in personal difficulties between current participants and non-participants in volunteer activities.

Third, concerning reasons for retirees’ non-participation in volunteer activities (Table 4), the primary reason was lack of publicity of volunteer activities for retirees (25.8%), followed by lack of systematic management of volunteers (20.7%), lack of social support for volunteers (18.7%), lack of social awareness of volunteer activities for retirees (17.1%), selfish social climate (10.6%), and lack of diversity in volunteer programs (7.8%). There was no statistically significant difference for these reasons between participants and non-participants.

Fourth, this study found that the factors affecting the participation of retired public officials in volunteer activities were the experience of participation in volunteer activities while in office, gender, degree of participation in religious activities, and level of education. This indicates that retired government employees who participate in volunteer activities were characterized by retirees who have volunteer experience while working in the past, are women, participate actively in religious activities, and have a high level of education.

Finally, this study also found that the factors affecting the continuation of volunteer activities of retired public officials were the period after retirement, level of satisfaction with economic status, experience of participation in volunteer activities while in office, degree of self-reported health, and level of satisfaction with overall current life. In other words, retired government employees who continued to volunteer after retirement could be characterized by a relatively long post-retirement period, volunteer experience while in office, good economic conditions, self-recognized poor health conditions, and high overall life satisfaction.

Theretical Implications

This paper offers several theoretical implications for the volunteer activities of retired public officials compared to previous studies and related theories. First, old adults volunteer for diverse reasons. This study revealed that the most important motive for volunteering among retired government employees in Korea is other-oriented (altruistic) rather than self-oriented (egoistic). A long-standing debate in social psychology was whether volunteering is primarily for others (altruistic) or the self (egoistic) (Principi et al., 2012; Stukas et al., 2016). In the Korean context, other-oriented motives (67.5%) among retired government employees were twice as high as self-oriented motives (29.2%). This also indicates that to boost volunteering among retired government employees, volunteers’ motives must be precisely understood and customized strategies must be utilized based on volunteers’ motives.

Second, the personal difficulties in participating in volunteer activities for retired public officials were lack of expertise, health problems, economic burden, and lack of time. Among the above difficulties, the significance of health problems, economic burden, and lack of time, as reflected in the survey responses, was consistent with previous research results (J. D. Smith & Gay, 2005; Steinberg & Cain, 2004). Conversely, the lack of expertise in volunteering of retired public officials was newly added to the list of difficulties in participating in volunteer activities in this study.

Third, to boost the participation of retired public employees in volunteer activities, this study suggests that it is necessary to promote the publicity of volunteer activities for retirees and social awareness of volunteer activities for retirees as well as provide systematic management of volunteers and social support for volunteers. In particular, for the systematic management of volunteers, it is essential to construct a database of volunteer activities and provide customized services for retirees. The Government Employees Pension Service in Korea should assume the leadership role in building a database with tailored information, including that about the ages of retired civil servants, their desired or appropriate volunteer areas, and the organizations in need of support. Furthermore, they can establish a talent bank through which retired government employees can share their talents. In this way, it becomes possible to prevent talent or valuable service opportunities from simply disappearing and enables the use of talent through the efficient matching of talent holders with those who need them.

Fourth, according to the results of this study, the factors affecting the participation of retired public officials in volunteer activities were the experience of participation in volunteer activities while in office, gender, degree of participation in religious activities, and years of education. Among the above factors, the experience of volunteering, degree of participation in religious activities, and level of education were in line with previous study results (Chambre, 1987; Palaz, 2021; Tang, 2008). However, in the case of gender, previous studies on participation in volunteering showed that men participated in volunteer activities more than women (Paik & Navarre-Jackson, 2011), whereas this study presented contradictory results, showing that women participated in volunteer activities more than men. This contradiction can be explained by the assumption that while it is difficult for women in middle age to participate in volunteer activities compared to men due to childcare and housework, older women after retirement are free from such problems and can actively participate more than men.

Finally, this study found that the factors affecting the continuation of volunteer activities of retired public officials were the period after retirement, level of satisfaction with economic status, experience of participation in volunteer activities while in office, degree of self-reported health, and level of satisfaction with overall current life. Among the above factors, the significance of satisfaction with economic status and overall life satisfaction as factors affecting participation in volunteer activities is consistent with previous studies (Musick & Wilson, 2008; Palaz, 2021). In addition, the period after retirement and the experience of volunteering while in service can be explained by continuity theory (Atchley, 1989). In other words, the experience and period of volunteering while in service are factors that lead to the continuation of volunteer activities even after retirement. Even the long-term continuation of volunteer activities for retirees who self-reported their poor health status can be explained by SST (Carstensen et al., 1999). In other words, retirees want to do more meaningful work, even when they are in poor health. After retirement and the end of parental responsibilities, older adults may lose the social roles that once bestowed their lives with meaning. Voluntary work could be a new role for them and create a routine that sustains their sense of purpose in life. The roles gained and maintained by volunteering may increase the social inclusion of older adults while decreasing agism and disruptive age-related norms throughout society (Palaz, 2021).

Policy Implications

This study suggests policy implications for promoting volunteer activities among retired public officials. First, civil servants should be encouraged to volunteer while working in public service and need to be given more information and detailed methods for participation in volunteer activities after retirement. According to the results, retired public officials who have participated in volunteer activities while in office were 5.875 times more likely to participate in volunteer activities after retirement than those who did not. The findings of this study are consistent with those of Chambre (1987) and Zeldlewski (2007), who showed that older adults who volunteered while working are more likely to continue doing so after retirement than those who did not. Furthermore, volunteering can be considered a requirement for on-the-job or retirement training, and the curriculum should include counseling channels and participation techniques. Moreover, retirees should often be reminded of the importance of volunteering or trained to increase their volunteering capabilities and qualities, thereby allowing them to make practical contributions to society.

Second, volunteer training courses or programs tailored to the unique characteristics of retired civil servants need to be developed. According to Ertas (2014), government employees are more likely to volunteer than their private-sector counterparts. In this context, it is necessary to develop and run education/training sessions and programs where they can use the techniques, knowledge, and experiences learned while working in public service. For example, one could volunteer as a lecturer for volunteer activities, an advisor for a non-profit organization, a consultant for a small business, or an arbitrator who resolves conflicts in communities.

Third, it is vital to institutionalize volunteer activities among retired officials in specific government projects or public services. For example, in France, retired civil servants are invited to provide advice or counseling on administrative issues; if necessary, they are paid for their expenses (transportation or meals), thereby fostering the active use of talent. Likewise, the Korean government can save money to provide public services through retirees and use limited public services more flexibly. Preferably, it is important to have a series of in-depth discussions on how retired civil servants can be best utilized.

Fourth, in the era of population aging, the Korean government needs to develop a national strategy to promote active and productive aging. According to a study conducted in Australia, the 65+ population contributes approximately 39 billion Australian dollars to the country’s economy each year through participation in various volunteer activities (De Vaus et al., 2003). Furthermore, there is a growing interest in the health and productivity aspects of the elderly in Australia, as opposed to the conventional view of senior citizens as being weak and ill (Angus & Reeve, 2006). The National Strategy for an Ageing Australia highlights the country’s focus on productivity among the elderly; the focal point of this program is to encourage the continued participation of older people in society (Commonwealth of Australia, 2001).

Lastly, the government and volunteer organizations should coordinate various activities with each other to attract retirees. Haddad (2004) showed that both government policies (institutional and fiscal support) and social (volunteer) organizations play a decisive role in determining how dynamic volunteer activities can be. Both the government and volunteer organizations need to establish a host of well-developed strategies to sustain continued participation (Hartenia, 2007). The efforts to involve retirees in volunteering should include the following: some amount of training, flexible and diverse options for volunteers, and opportunities for different age groups. Additionally, it is necessary to eliminate negative perceptions of volunteering, fear of aging, and concerns about regulated organizational environments (Warburton et al., 2007).

Conclusion

Conclusively, this inquiry has meticulously probed the intricate dynamics of volunteerism among retired government employees in Korea, systematically deciphering the complex interplay of motives, challenges, and determinants that significantly influence their participation and enduring commitment to volunteer activities. The primary motivations unveiled a profound altruistic inclination, underscoring a significant emphasis on the desire to assist others, leverage individual talents, and contribute meaningfully to the community. The intricate influence of gender and education level further refined these motivations, revealing nuanced preferences and shedding illuminating insights on the multifaceted reasons behind participation.

The exploration brought to light a myriad of personal difficulties impeding participation, including issues such as lack of expertise, health problems, and economic burdens. Notably, these obstacles exhibited heightened prominence among non-participants, accentuating the pivotal role personal challenges play in shaping decisions regarding volunteer engagement during retirement. Additionally, the elucidation of reasons for non-participation highlighted systemic issues such as a lack of awareness and organized management of volunteer activities, accentuating the imperative for strategic interventions to fortify support structures.

Theoretical implications drawn from this study enrich our understanding of the volunteer activities of retired public officials, accentuating the prevalence of other-oriented motives and underscoring the significance of health problems, economic burdens, and time constraints as substantial barriers. The study posits that a meticulous comprehension of volunteers’ motives is indispensable for crafting tailored strategies to elevate participation. Furthermore, the identification of critical determinants for both initial participation and the sustained continuation of volunteer activities furnishes invaluable insights that significantly contribute to the refinement of theoretical frameworks in the realms of aging and volunteerism.

The policy implications emanating from this research underscore the critical importance of encouraging volunteering during public service, with a specific focus on providing detailed information and methods for post-retirement participation. The recommendation for tailored training courses, attuned to the unique characteristics of retired civil servants, is made, alongside a call for the institutionalization of volunteer activities within specific government projects. The study ardently advocates for the formulation of a national strategy to promote active and productive aging, recognizing the potential economic contributions of the elderly through volunteering. The coordination imperative between government bodies and volunteer organizations is emphasized, necessitating the development of meticulously crafted strategies to sustain continued participation.

In summary, this study transcends the confines of academic discourse on volunteerism among retired government employees by furnishing practical insights that extend a guiding hand to policymakers, organizations, and individuals aspiring to cultivate a culture of active and meaningful participation during the post-retirement phase.

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Soonchunhyang University Research Fund.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committees and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

All participants gave informed consent and were informed that they could withdraw from the study at any time.

ORCID iD

Dong-Jin Lim

Data Availability Statement

The data of this study are not publicly available due to agreements with participants on data sharing but may be available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Participation and Continuation Factors of Volunteer Activities Among Retired Government Employees: Evidence from South Korea

Abstract

Plain language summary

Keywords

Introduction

Literature Review

Motivations and Difficulties of Participating in Volunteer Activities

Factors Affecting the Participation in Volunteer Activities

Factors Influencing the Continuity of Volunteer Activities

Methods

Research Design

Survey Method

Results

Descriptive Statistics

Motivations and Difficulties of Participating in Volunteer Activities

Factors Influencing Participation in Volunteer Activities Among Retired Government Employees

Factors Affecting the Continuity of Volunteer Activities of Retired Government Employees

Discussion

Theretical Implications

Policy Implications

Conclusion

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

Funding

Ethical Approval

Informed Consent

ORCID iD

Data Availability Statement

References