While the UK workforce grapples with the pensions’ crisis and the concept of working until the age of 68 and beyond, a new survey by Asda shows that seven out of ten people are looking actually looking forward to continuing working during retirement.
The research shows that the baby boomer generation, which is now at, or nearing, retirement age, is no longer interested in a sedentary retirement, consisting of gardening and crosswords and is instead looking to fulfil dreams that may have been shelved because of parenting or professional commitments.
Many are turning to part time work to fund this lifestyle, to keep them active and help them meet new people.
David Smith, ASDA’s people director, said, “50 - 60 year olds are much more active than their predecessors and are more likely to cycle across France or go surfing on Bondi beach, than tend to herbaceous borders.
"Our research shows that older people are bolstering their pensions and are much more likely to work a little longer to help subsidise retirement.
"Our stores are an example of this trend and are full of older colleagues who are valued for their hardworking and contentious approach.”
Asda challenged preconceptions about the UK workforce demographic over ten years ago with older workers becoming central to the business.
It is fully committed to its older workforce and offers a number of incentives to the over 50’s, such as Benidorm or carers’ leave, where colleagues over 50 years of age are offered up to three months’ unpaid leave regardless of job, contracted hours or length of employment while treating their service as continuous.
Asda has also reinvented the long service award to reflect that those reaching retirement age are much more active than they used to be. Asda's people get £300, an extra week's holiday, a gift and a bouquet!
Many colleagues at Asda are reporting that they are using their cash and extra week's holiday to fund active pastimes and other physical retirement activities.
