Old surveyors don’t disappear, they simply fade away

Here's your gold watch and the shackles for your chains,

And your piece of paper, to say you left here sane.

And if you've a son who wants a good career,

Just get him to sign on the dotted line and work for 20 years.

Donovan c. 1965

Not so long ago, many people had a job for life. When they retired they simply had their leaving do, listened to a few kind words from the boss, graciously accepted the fruits of the office whip-round, said good-bye and disappeared, never to be seen again. They moved to a bungalow in Worthing and spent the rest of their days on a comfortable occupational pension, playing golf in the Findon Valley and ultimately bowls on the sea-front greens.

Things have changed. The job for life is rare. People now have portfolio careers. Sometimes redundancy forces a move. But more often than not, a move is the only way for career advancement – particularly for people at or near the top of their organisation or in specialist areas, where in-house opportunities are few and far between.

Many occupational pension schemes are closed. Those that remain are under threat. Few can afford the contributions necessary to a private scheme to take early retirement and enable them to live the lifestyle to which they have become accustomed. More and more have dependent children. Government is looking to increase the age at which people qualify for state pensions.

People are fitter and healthier than they used to be. They may not have the energy they once had, but they have a wealth of useful experience. They can still make a valuable contribution to society – and besides, they don’t want to give up work entirely.

So what we are seeing, particularly amongst the self-employed, is people taking a staggered retirement, working fewer days a week, gradually winding down, before moving into retirement full-time. Many take up voluntary work.

I am now in that happy position of semi-retirement. And I’m really quite busy. I do the jobs that I like and I want. I’m becoming much more involved in the village community. And I’m enjoying it. (I have no intention of joining a bowls or golf club.)

Whether driven by a desire to remain active, or a need to keep earning, the gradual wind down into retirement is set to become increasingly popular.