Understanding the work goals–early retirement intention relationship: the mediating role of work passion and moderating role of HR practices’ flexibility

PurposeBased on goal content theory (GCT), this study examines the associations between different work goal contents (intrinsic and extrinsic goals) and early retirement intentions and reveals the underlying mechanisms of abovementioned relations.Design/methodology/approachThe paper tested the proposed model by using a sample of 265 workers in China using a two-wave survey.FindingsFindings(1) employees' intrinsic and extrinsic goals are both negatively related to early retirement intentions, and the effect of extrinsic goals on early retirement intentions is more significant. (2) Work passion was found to be a strong mediator between work goal content and employees' early retirement intentions. (3) Human resource (HR) practices’ flexibility significantly moderates the relationship between work passion and early retirement intentions.Originality/valueThe contribution of the current study is that this study first takes into account individuals’ psychological and organizational factors, aiming to reveal the differential effect of different work goals on individuals' early retirement intentions as well as the mediating effect of work passion and the moderating effect of HR practices’ flexibility in the abovementioned relations.