The New York Times has an interesting story about how older people who in the past might have opted for retirement are choosing to keep working … a trend that certainly will have an impact on marketers, who may find that senior citizens have more disposable income than ever to spend on products and services.
The story notes that there is an expanding "group of people who are sometimes labeled workaholics or, more kindly, “driven achievers,” who work simply because they love it. For many, the 'ideal retirement includes work in some capacity,' says Ken Dychtwald, founder and chief executive of Age Wave, a group that researches the aging population.
"Many retirement dropouts are highfliers who land right back in the executive mix. Of course, many over age 55 work to pay the bills, but others just want to keep busy, so they help a family member’s business.
"These workers are swelling the ranks of the work force aged 55 years and older. There are more people in the retirement-age work force than at any time since the 1960s, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics has found. About 33 million seniors are currently employed, up 49 percent from the 23 million such workers a decade ago, according to the government data."
The entire story can be read here.
The story notes that there is an expanding "group of people who are sometimes labeled workaholics or, more kindly, “driven achievers,” who work simply because they love it. For many, the 'ideal retirement includes work in some capacity,' says Ken Dychtwald, founder and chief executive of Age Wave, a group that researches the aging population.
"Many retirement dropouts are highfliers who land right back in the executive mix. Of course, many over age 55 work to pay the bills, but others just want to keep busy, so they help a family member’s business.
"These workers are swelling the ranks of the work force aged 55 years and older. There are more people in the retirement-age work force than at any time since the 1960s, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics has found. About 33 million seniors are currently employed, up 49 percent from the 23 million such workers a decade ago, according to the government data."
The entire story can be read here.
- KC's View:
