The traditional concept of retirement is showing its age. Perhaps we need to retire it.
Retirement seems like an abrupt and in many ways unwelcome career death – one day you’re a business professional, the next, you’re at home, watching soap operas and obsessing about your lawn. Having a smoother, longer transition could allow the aging workforce to maintain the often demanding pace of work while not feeling overwhelmed or pushed out. This new structure, call it a phase out, may be in the obvious form of reduced hours, flexible work schedules and lessened responsibilities. Whatever the blend may be, fewer hours or smaller workloads, it could be individually tailored.
I’ve come across several individuals who actively or reactively stumbled into their own phase out plan. It worked out for them. But, the plan is often not perceived that way by the employers. It often felt taboo to openly discuss it as such. The expectations is that we’re all working toward the same goal of one day going home with a box full of pictures and personal affects following a big retirement party.
I would still like to have the party, but would much rather phase out my retirement and avoid the emotional, financial and social shock of the abrupt change.