For many workers, retirement won't mean an end to their careers. Only one in three workers (34 percent) plan to quit work entirely once they're ready to retire from full-time employment, according to a just-released survey.
The survey was developed by the Menlo Park, Calif.-based accounting and finance firm Robert Half Management Resources. It was conducted by an independent research firm and includes responses from 492 full- or part-time adult workers employed in office environments.
Workers were asked: "When you are ready to retire, do you see yourself quitting work entirely or taking one of the following options?" Their responses:
Quit work entirely (34 percent)
Change fields/work at something new (24 percent)
Work as a consultant (14 percent)
Work fewer hours for the same company (14 percent)
Take a part-time job (2 percent)
Continue to work/not plan to retire (2 percent)
Volunteer (1 percent)
Other (3 percent)
Don't know (6 percent)
"Longer life spans, increased financial responsibilities, and a desire to remain mentally and physically active are prompting today's workers to view retirement differently than their predecessors,"
Paul McDonald, executive director of Robert Half Management Resources, said in a release. "The desire by many professionals to remain in the workforce past the traditional retirement age could be a boon to employers concerned about talent shortages, which are predicted to intensify.
"Companies can retain tenured staff by offering benefits they value, such as greater flexibility or part-time employment,” McDonald added. “Firms also can tap the expertise of the growing number of professionals who have retired from full-time careers and are now consulting."
