Saving for the Future: Financial Attitude and Retirement Planning of Healthcare Workers in Accra-Based Tertiary Hospitals in Ghana

Although retirement planning affects the well-being of retirees, little is known about healthcare workers’ financial assertiveness towards retirement. Using rational choice theory as benchmark against which healthcare workers’ financial attitudes and retirement planning are evaluated, and drawing on behavioural life-cycle hypothesis, the study examines the association between financial attitude and retirement planning of healthcare workers. Guided by the quantitative approach, the researchers gathered survey data from randomly selected healthcare workers (n = 660) in five public tertiary hospitals in Accra. Although healthcare workers had financial knowledge, they lacked full clarity on retirement goals, and demonstrated poor future time perspective. Consequently, their attitude towards retirement, financial risk tolerance and financial knowledge were each positively associated with retirement planning. The study recommends that the Ghana Medical Association in collaboration with other stakeholders should organise quarterly workshops on retirement planning for healthcare workers to improve attitude towards retirement in their active working years.