Don advocates stronger social support, career planning to ease retirement anxiety
By Bashirat Omotosho and Bashir Dawodu
A lecturer at the Department of Psychology, University of Ilorin, Dr Dare Azeez Fagbenro, has highlighted the importance of strong social support networks and effective career transition planning in reducing pre-retirement anxiety.
The don made the call last Wednesday (July 22, 2026) while speaking with UNILORIN BULLETIN on his research work, titled ‘Can Social Support and Career Transition Ameliorate Pre-Retirement Anxiety Among University Staff’?. He recommended deliberate institutional interventions to prepare employees for life after active service.
The study, which he conducted among 181 academic and non-teaching staff members, examined the influence of social support and career transition on workers’ anxiety as they approach retirement.
Dr Fagbenro opined that employees who received greater support from significant others and friends were less likely to experience anxiety about retirement.
He noted that workers who were better prepared for career transition demonstrated lower levels of pre-retirement anxiety.
According to the don, retirement remains one of the most significant life transitions for employees, often accompanied by uncertainty over finances, changing social roles and adjustments to a new lifestyle.
He suggested that a supportive social environment and adequate retirement preparation can substantially reduce these concerns and promote healthier psychological adjustment.
Dr Fagbenro urged government, university management and industrial and organisational psychologists to collaborate in developing comprehensive retirement support programmes. Such initiatives, he noted, should include pre-retirement counselling, career transition workshops, lifestyle planning and mentoring programmes that equip staff with the knowledge and confidence needed for a successful transition into retirement.
He recommended the establishment of peer support groups within universities, allowing staff approaching retirement to share experiences, learn practical coping strategies and provide emotional encouragement to one another. Informal social networks, including hobby clubs and alumni associations, were also identified as valuable platforms for sustaining friendships and social engagement after retirement.
In addition, the don advocated phased retirement arrangements that would enable staff members to gradually reduce their teaching and administrative responsibilities rather than making an abrupt exit from active service.
Dr Fagbenro believed that such arrangements could ease the emotional and psychological challenges associated with retirement while helping institutions retain the expertise of experienced personnel.
He maintained that workers who plan adequately for retirement and enjoy meaningful social support are better positioned to navigate the transition from employment to retirement with confidence.
He concluded that investing in structured social support systems and career transition programmes would not only improve the wellbeing of university employees but also foster a more positive and productive retirement experience.
