Question for Retirees in their late 60's and 70's.

hearlady said:
Over the holiday I was talking with family about the fact that there are some older retirees who continue to work because they can work from home.
I commented that I thought that seemed like a good situation for them.
My 37 yr old daughter piped in and said, "Yes, nice for them but they're preventing people like me from moving up into those positions!" She said they're were many at her work that were not retiring because working from home was nice for them therefore the younger employees are stuck in their positions.
This never occurred to me.
How do you all feel about this? I'm torn.
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Qualifications matter. I hire many 30 somethings and a majority of them feel entitled to a job, regardless if they are qualified or not. If they don't get a job, they blame older employees not leaving soon enough. When really its because they are not qualified. I would hire 30 somethings. They are cheaper to hire, and some actually want to learn. Older workers well, are better workers. I was ready to hire this 30's guy. I was just ready to make am offer and he says, "What about the hours?" I said it starts at 7:00am. He says, "I have a problem with that, could I start at 1:00am?". "I'm no good before 10:00am". I thanked him for coming in. Thank God I didn't off him the job!
 
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Speaking of younger workers, these are very sad statistics.
  • Roughly 1 in 7 working-age men in the U.S. aren't employed, higher than before the 2008 housing crash.
  • The problem particularly affects working-class men, who have been hurt by economic changes and lower wages.
  • The stigma of joblessness is linked to an increase in what economists call "deaths of despair."
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-ec...d 54 aren't employed, federal labor data show.
 
Lethe200 said:
I guess it depends on your job responsibilities and the local job market. Where we live, being older = more pay & benefits = less desirable hire. The companies prefer young = cheap = think benefits aren't important = very desirable hire. We have friends and family who have been forced into retirement because they could not find jobs that paid enough to support them any longer.

I was a career exec assistant - the fancy name for secretary - to high-level execs. I was happy to retire (2006) when the opportunity arose, because I could see the trend was going to less pay but more job duties. One company posted a job that combined reception, secretarial, office manager, first level IT support and constant website updates, for $20K LESS than what I had made at my last job.

I decided that was a 'sign from above' that it was time to "exit ... stage left" and I've enjoyed my retirement immensely. Fortunately, good retirement planning worked in our favor, so no need to ever work again.
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Don't ever underestimate what you contributed to the workforce. From my experience, Executive Assistants were the ones who made the Executives look good and were some of the most buttoned-up people I've ever met. I'm glad you are enjoying your retirement. I'm sure you earned it and then some.

And you're right... companies are looking for younger workers so they can pay less.
 
Kids don't realize what it takes today to be successful. Colleges don't teach what it takes to get a job in the workplace. If they do have classes, its taught by academia folks, who do not understand what it takes to succeed. They 'train' them for being a cog in the wheel, to adapt to what is expected of them, then fall into the masses once they get out and be happy they can get a menial check to pay their bills. Then, they are told its not their fault for their lack of skills or understanding of a work mentality, its someone else fault. So, they take it out on senior workers, the easiest target, to hide their shortcomings.
 
There are a number of factors as to why older Americans are still working. It's not just because they can work from home. Many actually do retire and re-enter the work force to supplement their Social Security income. It's not necessarily the same job they left. They had to get hired into their position like anyone else.
I wrote an article about this titled <Returning to the Work Force>. You might be interested in reading it.
 
Packerjohn said:
If you are a senior and need the money, then go ahead and work. However, locally I know of a school teacher with a full pension that went back to work substituting. Shame on that teacher. I hope this is not common.

Most people that retire with a decent pension would never want to go back to work. That includes me! I love Mondays and I enjoy standing here at my 8th floor perch and watch those "wage slaves " go to work in the freezing Canadian winter.
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Shame on that teacher? If that policy had existed back in 1961, I would have spent a life without a right leg. Surgeon, Mr. Penrose, retired on his two thirds of salary pension, yet he looked in at the hospital where he worked and often helped out in the operating theatre. And that was at the age of 72. Imagine having his old hands around the scalpel.

Back in 1961 I was knocked down on a pedestrian crossing, the collision shattered my right leg. Three operations later I still couldn't wriggle my toes. The surgeons just couldn't connect the severed nerve ends. The decision was made to amputate my leg. Step forward 72 year old Mr. Penrose. "Don't take the lad's leg off, let me try." Following surgery I had no less than three surgeons around my bed. "Wriggle your toes for me," Mr Penrose said. Wriggle, wriggle, wriggle. Smiles and handshakes all round, my Dad wept.

Moral of the tale, it's hardly a shame, is it? Best look away now if those of retirement age continue to work. Brian Wilson works a full week of twelve hour shifts, rising at 4:00am every working day. His job is to drive his 44 ton articulated truck to and from his employer's customers. Brian is 90 years young.
 
So, when we older ladies were young we couldn't get promoted because all those management positions were reserved for men, and now the young women think we should just step aside for them for no reason other then they want our jobs. I'm surprised they don't expect us to keep working and just give them the paycheck.
 
In January I was asked to consult part time and I absolutely love it. I set my own appointments to meet clients and do my report at home.

I have a small pension because I was out of the workforce quite a bit between raising kids and obtaining my college degrees so the money has been helpful too.
 
Putting aside the need to work because of financial needs, I find that the balance only depends on whether you are happier in your home life or actually prefer to work . You either prefer the company of a wife and children (if you have either or both), as compared to the company of fellow employees. And to be fair , when mentioning being retired with family. that would include the ability to travel about, visit for periods, etc..
 
Interesting old thread that I hadn't previously noticed. At 71, I'm still working at DH & my small business, mostly from home now. We've cut back to less than half of what we were doing when we semi-retired six hears ago.

If I could find a trustworthy small business to serve our customers well when we're ready to give it up altogether in a year or three, I'd gladly introduce them. If it were a small business run by young people, who learned by starting from the bottom, so much the better. No such luck.

Who wants our business? Large, impersonal national corporations. Even our own children declined. They know from watching us that working for a paycheck is easier with way fewer headaches and anxieties than being an owner.

My father worked into his 90s and my GF into his 80s, so I come by this naturally.
 
In the fifties we often heard, 'Don't seek a second job, but leave it for the person in real need of work.' But I think today is different, maybe we should leave the question to the employer, let him take his pick.
 
When I left my job in IT (in my early 50's), I looked for something different to do and ended up as a school janitor / repair man. I was grossly over qualified, but I found that a lot of professionals found low skilled work with little stress or responsibility. It did occur to me that I was taking this job because I could afford to and perhaps someone else needed a job more than me.

Mrs L and I stopped paid work in out mid 50's - and we've never worked so hard since then. But we don't regret it for one minute.
 
The younger ones may not realize that jobs taken by retirees probably are not lucrative, pay well, nor
even interesting. Probably dead-ends. Nor do they know if they'd qualify for, or want these work from home jobs.
They might be bored or want more. So the young don't know what they are missing out on. Working from home is not a picnic
and it takes a lot of self-motivation which they may or may not have. I know because most of my work for 20 years was from home. Most have not the motivation and follow-through.
Men in the workplace are declining and no one cares one bit
especially politicians, sadly.
 
hearlady said:
Over the holiday I was talking with family about the fact that there are some older retirees who continue to work because they can work from home.
I commented that I thought that seemed like a good situation for them.
My 37 yr old daughter piped in and said, "Yes, nice for them but they're preventing people like me from moving up into those positions!" She said they're were many at her work that were not retiring because working from home was nice for them therefore the younger employees are stuck in their positions.
This never occurred to me.
How do you all feel about this? I'm torn.
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Wonder how long it took those at her work who are not retiring, to moved into their current positions?
If they did at age 37, they've been in the same position for a very long time themselves.
If it was much later, then maybe patience is in order.
 
hearlady said:
Over the holiday I was talking with family about the fact that there are some older retirees who continue to work because they can work from home.
I commented that I thought that seemed like a good situation for them.
My 37 yr old daughter piped in and said, "Yes, nice for them but they're preventing people like me from moving up into those positions!" She said they're were many at her work that were not retiring because working from home was nice for them therefore the younger employees are stuck in their positions.
This never occurred to me.
How do you all feel about this? I'm torn.
Click to expand...
What you are saying is quite possible where she works. Traditional thinking has to give way to what those still in the work could be facing.

While this opinion article doesn't address older working from home it does point out that reduction in positions for "moving up" are facing what technology is creating. Your daughter could be facing a combination of what is happening now.

According to Gartner, by 2030, 80% of today’s project management’s work will be automated, eliminating the discipline and replacing PM traditional functions with AI. In a global survey by Pega, 78% of the executives surveyed believe that increasing the use of AI and robots will dramatically reduce the middle management ranks. A 2020 BCG survey declares that “traditional management has reached a breaking point.”

Your boss will be replaced by AI before you are

Lumping all jobs as having potential for hard working "good" employees to move up IMO just isn't realistic.

As a real life example back in 1995 the major corporation where I worked downsizing took out 9 management positions in the department I was in. Mine was one of them. Thankfully I was able to retire with a lifetime pension & other benefits. A few others were not as fortunate.
 
hearlady said:
My 37 yr old daughter piped in and said, "Yes, nice for them but they're preventing people like me from moving up into those positions!" She said they're were many at her work that were not retiring because working from home was nice for them therefore the younger employees are stuck in their positions.
This never occurred to me.
How do you all feel about this? I'm torn.
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I'd say it can depend on what sort of work one does from home. I worked at quite a number of jobs during my working years. My main stretch (over 20 years) was as a freelance contributor to magazines & newspapers. My articles were bought by editors who wanted them, and the editors were also using material from from other freelancers, as well as from staff writers employed within the publication's office.

I later worked as a manager for a business association, and launched two publications connected with that work; I was the lead editor for those.

After my retirement, people I know have come to me to either write an article or edit something they have written for publication. I don't advertise my services. I'm chosen by these people for the job they want done, and they pay what I ask. I can't see how I'm keeping anybody from getting employed or moving up.

I'd say certain sorts of work done by retired persons do not block someone else's advancement.
 
StarSong said:
Who wants our business? Large, impersonal national corporations. Even our own children declined. They know from watching us that working for a paycheck is easier with way fewer headaches and anxieties than being an owner.
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Yes, I've done it both ways, employed steadily by a company or proprietor, and running my own thing as a contractor. There's a motto I learned when first going self-employed: "Run your own business — choose for yourself which 14 hours of the day you'll work."
 
JBR said:
Yes, I've done it both ways, employed steadily by a company or proprietor, and running my own thing as a contractor. There's a motto I learned when first going self-employed: "Run your own business — choose for yourself which 14 hours of the day you'll work."
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My kind of self-employment gave me freedom from those long hours. I worked maybe 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. It depends on how much business you have to take on to make any profit. With hardly any overhead in my line of work really helps. The being your own boss and being independent of a routine type of grind is what I liked the most. Choosing your own work hours for the most part too.

When I lived outside the community it was a nightmare running my own business. I hated it. It was like you described. So, it was because I was living in a communist environment that I was capable of true freedom. :)
 
Paco Dennis said:
When I lived outside the community it was a nightmare running my own business. I hated it. It was like you described. So, it was because I was living in a communist environment that I was capable of true freedom. :)
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So from what you've related to me, PD, "communist" (i.e., related to "communism") wouldn't be the right term. Because communism is generally associated with Marxism and an authoritarian interpretation of socialism. In practice, that's been regimented, bureaucratic in the extreme, and coercive... not to mention involving secret police, political purges & assassinations, and reorientation camps (prisons). In its pure forms (Soviet Union, modern China) it's failed to the extent those countries had to revert to forms of market economics.

I believe a better term for how you've lived might be community or communitarian, or intentional community.
 
As a result of choosing that path, I have very little Social Security. I didn't pay into the system for about 30 years. They are helping me with some of my Medicare costs. It is for "poor" seniors. I have heard that Social Security in general might be in trouble in the coming years. They might need to rearrange it, or make drastic cuts. Most transactions will be done through private operators next.
 
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