Exploring employees' perceptions of retirement Using Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET)

The purpose of this study was to examine and identify the perceptions of employees on the eve of retirement of the electricity industry about retirement to achieve a deeper understanding. Accordingly, using Zaltman's metaphorical extraction technique, the cognitive structures of employees have been studied and analyzed. The study participants were 12 people and were selected among the employees on the verge of retirement in the electricity industry using the concept sampling method. Then individuals were asked to select images for the interview session that they considered to mean retirement. In the interview session, questions related to the images were asked and then the answers were analyzed in order to discover the concepts. A total of sixteen structures were extracted, including "inevitable", "starting again", "fear and excitement of entering a new life challenge", "separation from work and loss of role", "rest, discovery and pursuit of individual interests", "Freedom and release from the cage" and "Emotional deprivation" were identified as the main structures in the consensus plan. According to the consensus plan, "start again", "separation from work and lack of role" and "inevitable", causal structures, "emotional deprivation", "fear and excitement of entering a new life challenge" and "rest, discovery and pursuit of individual interests" were considered as affected structures. The consensus map shows that the organization should take into account the relationships between structures, while strengthening the positive mentalities, change the negative mentalities of employees on the verge of retirement, and repair the retirement challenges associated with it.