From vision to preparation: PLS-SEM evidence on future time perspective, goal clarity, and retirement readiness among Indian higher-education employees

This study examines how future time perspective is associated with retirement readiness through the mediating role of goal clarity among academic and administrative employees in higher-education institutions in northern India. Drawing on life-cycle finance and goal-setting theory, the study develops a cognitive–motivational framework in which future-oriented thinking supports the formation of clear and structured retirement goals, which are associated with higher levels of perceived retirement preparedness. Survey data were collected from 283 employees working in higher-education institutions in northern India. The data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. Measurement quality was assessed using established reliability and validity criteria, and mediation was examined using bootstrapped indirect effects. The findings indicate that future time perspective is positively associated with retirement readiness both directly and indirectly through goal clarity, supporting a partial mediation mechanism. Individuals with a stronger future orientation are more likely to formulate clear and structured retirement goals, which are associated with greater self-reported retirement preparedness. These results suggest that future-oriented cognition and goal structuring operate both independently and jointly in shaping retirement readiness. The study contributes to the literature by providing a structured behavioural explanation of retirement readiness, demonstrating how cognitive orientation is translated into perceived retirement preparedness through motivational processes. It further highlights that such mechanisms are particularly relevant in contexts characterised by limited institutional retirement support, where individual planning plays a central role. The findings have implications for policymakers, employers, and financial service providers by emphasising the importance of interventions that integrate financial awareness with structured goal-setting frameworks to support individuals in translating long-term financial intentions into actionable retirement plans. Overall, the study provides evidence that retirement preparedness is associated not only with future-oriented thinking, but also with its alignment with clearly defined and structured goals.