Abstract Background Trends towards longer labor market participation are seen in international policies. In the EU countries, labor force participation rate for those past 60 years of age, has been raised extensively for the past decade. In 2035 Danish workers are expected to work till 69 years of age. The aim of the study was twofold, firstly to identify and synthesize findings from former studies of factors of importance in construction workers (age 55+) work participation and secondly to understand and explore how construction workers experience their work participation. Methods A systematic review and integrative thematic synthesis of qualitative and quantitative studies aiming to identify factors of importance in construction workers work participation were carried out followed by individual interview 20 Danish construction workers and thematic analysis. Results Four themes illustrating factors influencing construction workers work participation were identified in the review. Theme 1 Socioeconomical and cultural factors, Theme 2 Legislation and policy, Theme 3 Workplace factors and Theme 4 Individual factors. The identified themes helped structure the interview guide. Preliminary results of the individual interviews provide a deeper understanding of how both individual, social and workplace factors interacts and how it is possible for construction workers to compensate from the experienced age-related physical limitations. Elderly construction workers adjust and compensate for demanding work tasks by receiving support from co-workers and having less demanding work tasks during their workday. Both physical and psychosocial work environment and employers’ attitudes towards elderly workers seems to be significant for their ability for working late in life. Conclusions The interplay between individual, psychosocial, and work environmental factors are affecting elderly construction workers work participation which have an impact on their work retention late in life. Key messages • Elderly construction workers work participation depends on the physical and the psychosocial work environment and possibilities for adjustment and compensation for performing demanding work tasks. • individual, social and workplace factors interacts and how it is possible for construction workers to compensate from the experienced age-related physical limitations.