Weeknotes: Retirement
Social Purpose
In 2010, somewhat bored of with “colouring in” pointless reports and spreadsheets, I convinced my boss to let me switch to a four-day workweek, hinting at early retirement. Things changed quickly though! Within two years, I found myself back to full-time plus, immersed as a Programme Manager on a year-long transformation project. It was one of those intensive years when I loved my job, did something relevant, and also “made a difference”.
Recently, I had a discussion with a friend who’s also a business rival in consultancy. We’re both deeply involved in various projects and business development endeavors, which comes with the territory of managing a consultancy. I’ve managed, at least in my head, to separate my mental load balancing into three parts: social (free spending), business (fee earning) and projects (free styling). Managing those conflicts of time is a constant challenge, and definitely a long way from my first definition of retirement.
My friend and I both acknowledge that we can’t envision a future where we’re not engaged in some form of work.
Business Need
My co-Director, Peter, has decided to retire from his position at Golden Marzipan. Peter and I co-founded Golden Marzipan in 2019, shortly after my “second” retirement from a corporate role in social housing. Our shared vision drove us to approach change and digital projects with a fresh perspective. It was Peter who ingeniously conceptualised the Battenburg model, encompassing four vital quadrants: data, digital, process, and governance. This model became the cornerstone of Golden Marzipan’s ethos, emphasizing the importance of people and culture as the cohesive force behind every endeavor.
As Peter begins his next chapter, I extend my best wishes for a fulfilling journey ahead. I am profoundly grateful to Peter for inviting me to join Golden Marzipan, an opportunity that has been both enriching and transformative.
Peter says his future endeavors will focus on his personal passions, including travel, exploring the potential of Gen AI, and continuing his roles as a Non-Executive, while stepping back from his directorial role.
Thank you, Peter, for your invaluable contributions and relentless stream of new ideas. I hope you’re more successful than me at retiring!
Digital Insights
I think I get this non-ret mindset from my hard-working Dad. As he approaches his 90s, he is still beavering away as the secretary of the local social club, a group which invites people to join at age 50, assuring the future without worries about work, and advertising the merits of ten-pin bowing, walking, swimming and taking day trips to the canals and waterways of United Kingdom (afternoon tea and quiz on the coach included).
Whilst he’s a fully fledged digitally engaged silver surfer, he’s beginning to struggle with some of the more complex tasks of system interoperability, cyber security and data quality (as I would describe as a digital consultant).
I’ve been helping him with an application to the Charities Commission and providing some admin support to write content about the change for the committee and members.
For those of you seeking to get relief from office politics and difficult discussions in your retirement years, I have some bad news…
Data Driven
My wife handed in her resignation notice to her employers yesterday. She has 100 working days left in her career as a civil servant. It must be a great feeling. She tells me she plans to do absolutely nothing but sit in her ‘reading chair’ once the long-awaited day arrives.
It’s ironic that her job involves addressing the impact of a tight labour market, where many over-50s have quietly quit. According to the Office for National Statistics, nearly 3.5 million over-50s are now out of the job market. That’s roughly 300,000 more 50 to 65-year-olds than before the pandemic.
Some people who saved could afford to retire earlier than planned. Pension freedoms introduced by Chancellor George Osborne in 2015 also allowed over-55s to access their retirement funds early. The pandemic prompted many to seek a change in lifestyle and more time at home. Stress, lack of support in one’s role, and caring responsibilities also influenced the decision to stop working.
Many of the people I talk to in my (lucky) lifestyle group are fully engaged in voluntary, non-executive, fractional work, and learning activities. Most also have significantly more family care responsibilities.
But they’re engaged, active, and thriving! We need to find a new word for ‘retirement’.
