How do the non-cognitive skills affect retirees' reemployment? Evidence from China

Abstract

Introduction: Promoting the reemployment of retirees is important to effectively recognize the capacity of older adults and to help governments cope with an aging global population. Existing research on the factors that impact reemployment has mainly focused on the role of traditional forms of human capital, like education and experience, while ignoring non-cognitive skills.

Methods: Based on 3,693 samples, this study examines the impact of non-cognitive skills on the reemployment of Chinese retirees using the Logit model through the lens of human capital theory.

Results: The results show that non-cognitive skills incentivize retirees to seek reemployment. The incentive effect is greater for retirees who are male, live in a rural household, and are of lower age and education level. Further, the mediation effect model reveals the mediating role of social capital between non-cognitive skills and the reemployment of retirees. Social capital is important to the promotion of retiree reemployment.

Discussion: This study ultimately sheds light on the relationship between non-cognitive skills and the reemployment of retirees. Findings will help improve governments' understandings of non-cognitive skills so that they may develop better policies on retiree reemployment.

Keywords: human capital; non-cognitive skills; reemployment; retirees; social capital.