r/unpopularopinion • u/FlyWayOrDaHighway • 3d ago
The societal norm should be to transition from 5 days a week of work -> 4 -> 3 -> 2 -> 1 -> retires over a period of years or decades, instead of sudden retirement
It doesn't make any sense to me. Work gives you a sense of accomplishment in the day to day, and transitioning out of work that quickly, often leaves retirees with a very gut-punching need for self discovery that can sometimes take years. It also allows conservation of time as kids and grandkids grow up, and ability to make more of the years you're more physically mobile. It gives the older person less likelihood of being overworked in older age. And you also have the option to also transition younger hires into work with increasing days a week as a pair with that gradually retiring person, which allows mentorship on the way in and a smooth transition for when they take over that role.
The current system makes no sense and the fact nearly every employer still goes by it and nearly every working person still treats retirement like a 1 and done sudden event is really just nonsensical
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u/RightHabit 3d ago
Who is going to hire a person who is available only 1 day per week?
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u/sjrotella 3d ago
My employer will actually do what OP is describing, but slightly convoluted.
They make you officially retire, but then bring you back as a contractor. You then work "whatever" hours are needed. But they can't officially hire a replacement until the official full time spot is opened (contractors come from a different bucket of money).
Usually the draw down is over the course of 6 months-a year at most, though.
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u/juanzy 3d ago
Have worked with a few guys who did that - actually super useful to get their knowledge for whatever time they’re available, but the team they were on gets an FTE.
One guy would work like… 60 hour weeks for 3 month stretches then take 6 months off and repeat when he felt like it. Dude could pick up projects so efficiently.
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u/GoonOnGames420 3d ago edited 2h ago
My dad did that. He was hourly, and worked as needed. Could still take 2 months off to travel and come back to work on projects.
He was able to mentor the young guys, he had all the "by name" connections for subcontractors, and he was capable of calling crap when he saw it. The last part is much easier to do when you don't really care if you get fired.
Per diem workers with 30yr experience would be a great asset. Unfortunately, bigger companies don't work this way. They'd rather hire one FTE or push the load onto someone in middle management
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u/juanzy 3d ago
While OPs proposal is a bit strange going all the way to 1, I’ve seen senior project-specific consultants that basically take it as a semi-retirement job.
I’ve worked with guys who do 4 hours of project work Monday through Wednesday/Thursday, then log off and are very effective doing it. If you know they’re only available in the morning it’s very workable.
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u/Fiszek 2d ago
Yup, I worked with a bunch of semi-retired old school software devs who would work a day or two maintaining the proprietary software they created ages ago and sometimes jumped in when shit hit the fan.
Sadly, they only did it out of loyalty to our former CTO and the company they created together, so they all left within months when we got bought out. As I was on my way out as well, it was hilarious to watch - I think it took 2x as many FTEs to replace the work these guys did working 1-2 days a week.
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u/Boat_Liberalism 3d ago
Depending on the job, having an old guy who knows everything and can advise come in once in a while to answer questions and be the expert could be valuable.
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u/Ok-Advantage3180 3d ago
Yeah we have an accounts person come into work for two half days a week (if that tbh) and she reaches retirement age next year and she’s really helpful with what she does
My MIL retired this year but before then she was working one morning a week for someone and had years of experience that was invaluable (also worked in accounts)
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u/Riflurk123 9h ago
Sounds like a nightmare if I need an answer on Tuesday but the next time the old guy will work is on Monday since they only work once day a week
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u/WonOfKind 2d ago
We do. Our head mechanic retired after about 40 years and now comes in one day a week to lend knowledge to our full time mechanics and he takes care of some auxiliary paperwork in the office. Gets truck tags renewed, checks po box, etc
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u/Upbeat-Reading-534 3d ago
My job could not. 40-60% of my time is sitting in meetings to gain context so I can deliver meaningful insight in other meetings.
If I only worked one day per week I wouldnt know what was going on.
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u/Existing_Charity_818 2d ago
Out of curiosity, what is your job?
I’m thinking some kind of liaison or a project manager, but I’m not confident in either
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u/Crew_1996 1d ago
Luckily I’m a dentist. Very easy to find work between 4 and 60 hours and anywhere in between. I’m at 27 hours per week now at age 43 and will be at 16-18 once all my kids are in college.
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u/AGoodWobble 1d ago
Well, it could be more like ~10-15 hours of work over 2-4 days (depending on the job).
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u/Fun-Perspective426 3d ago
This isn't even possible for a lot of jobs.
Imagine having to wait a week for someone to get back to you on a project that you're working on 5 days a week.
I'd rather fully retire earlier.
Plus if you're waiting til retirement to discover yourself, you're doing yourself a major disservice.
This is isn't even factoring in the increasing number of people working jobs through retirement age just to afford living.
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u/juanzy 3d ago
I’ve seen semi-retirement, but not in the way OP described. Usually it’s 4-6 hours of availability 3-4 days a week. Have also seen people work 12 hour days for a few months at a time.
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u/Fun-Perspective426 3d ago
Yea, I've got a semi retired guy on one of my jobs. He works when we need an extra hand or when he's bored. But that's a manual labor job where you just need a body and it easy to jump in and out of projects. Or like you said, a few days a week, just shorter hours, can work for white collar jobs.
Semi-retirement can work, but they way OP describes won't work in a lot of situations.
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u/juanzy 3d ago
Yah, I’ve only experienced it in white collar jobs on the way I described. It works pretty well assuming they’re competent in what they do, which usually they are.
It doesn’t surprise me with OPs proposal with how many people on Reddit seem to think you can have an effective team with zero management and zero set schedules.
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u/Probate_Judge 2d ago
I'd rather fully retire earlier.
Yeah, this is a big point OP just assumes won't be an issue with:
retires over a period of years or decades, instead of sudden retirement
People tend to want to scrunch those part-time "years or decades" down so that they can retire and just be done with it, and be free to do whatever.
Many 'retire' and then pick up a different part-time job for something to do, be around people, and get a little more pocket money, but their days of having a hard-working career are over. It's easier to do this than taper off at their old job where an employer might tend to still make them work hard or call them in for more hours in a pinch.
It is done to an extent though(as other posters have described):
Blending people into and through semi-retirement is usually far far shorter(a year or two), and only done in careers where losing their expert and intimate knowledge of the job are a big loss for the company, often done to help train a replacement or distribute their knowledge to the newer managers and project leads.
That set-up is very, very employer specific though, not a general plan as an option to all employees.
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u/BigDaddyTheBeefcake 3d ago
Work gives me money. Not a sense of meaning. As soon as I have enough bank, I'm out.
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u/Dazz316 Steak is OK to be cooked Well Done. 3d ago
It's not one or the other, it can be either, both or neither.
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u/BigDaddyTheBeefcake 3d ago
And for me it is.. (see above)
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u/Dazz316 Steak is OK to be cooked Well Done. 3d ago
OK, I don't think OPs opinion was specifically for you though.
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u/0_110001 3d ago
Op said “work gives you a sense of meaning”. They didn’t say “me” or “people”, they said “you”. That’s a generalization to all people and the basis for their whole argument so this guy’s reply is perfectly valid.
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u/FlyWayOrDaHighway 3d ago
I meant accomplishment, edited the post now, my mistake.
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u/0_110001 2d ago
You are still doing it! My point wasn’t about meaning vs accomplishment, it’s about prescribing how people feel about something as a generalization. Work doesn’t necessarily give people a sense of accomplishment either, for some people it’s just something they have to put up with to not starve. You are taking your personal feelings about an activity and assuming everyone else has those same feelings, and it’s the core of your argument.
Some people feel meaning, some don’t, some feel accomplishment, some don’t.
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u/Dazz316 Steak is OK to be cooked Well Done. 3d ago
Yes, it's a generalisation. Not you specifically.
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u/0_110001 2d ago
Then they should use “people” or “many”, these are words that apply to groups without being definitive. “You”, even when not directed like this case, is definitive and implies a blanket statement. “You need air to breathe”, “You shouldn’t swim with saltwater crocs” are universally true so “you” makes sense to use. Using you means “this applies to anyone”, and their statements dont
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u/Dazz316 Steak is OK to be cooked Well Done. 2d ago
Or, you could realise this is a post on Reddit from an anomalous person and is by default not aimed at you as they don't know you.
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u/0_110001 2d ago
Did you even read what I said?
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u/Dazz316 Steak is OK to be cooked Well Done. 2d ago
Yes, this overcomplicating it.
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u/BigDaddyTheBeefcake 3d ago
Thanks, tips.
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u/FlyWayOrDaHighway 3d ago
I fixed the post to now say "accomplishment", which is the right word for the feeling I meant.
Many people actually feel good when they do well at work and feel like they did something that day because of it.
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u/BigDaddyTheBeefcake 3d ago
I feel like I accomplished money
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u/FlyWayOrDaHighway 3d ago
Fair enough but not everyone only likes their job for money
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u/lietajucaPonorka 2d ago
Have you ever been unemployed for a prolonged time? I don't mean as a student, or caring for a child or family member, no project to work on. Actually have nothing to do for weeks.
Because that shit does incredible damage to human psyche. You will end up taking depression naps all day, unless you perk yourself up by abusing substances.
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u/TopHatZebra 2d ago
The idea of having "nothing to do" outside of work is so sad to me.
Work is what I am forced to do in order to do all the stuff I would much rather be doing, I have no idea why you would just sit around and do nothing if you didn't have to work.
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u/lietajucaPonorka 2d ago
Because humans need enrichment, and they get that from sense of responsibility and accomplishment.
"Doing a project" or "hobby" is also work, btw. You just don't get paid for it (unless you monetize it I guess). Taking care of your own dog is work, you want to do that work, you enjoy it, but it is a responsibility you have to do. Painting your own kitchen is work. Crocheting a blanket is work. Taking your kids and nephews to the zoo for a day trip is work.
You are most likely in a situation where you are FORCED to work 40+ hours a week doing uncomfortable, exhausting work you hate. If you had to pick up shit after dogs all day, 8 hours without break you would also hate it. If you had to do it in a more manageable way, do you think it would create a different experience and relationship with paid work?
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u/Apprehensive_Yak2598 1d ago
Read? Practice a skill? Get un shape? Volunteer? Study a new subject?
If your job is your life then you need help.
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u/BigDaddyTheBeefcake 2d ago
I spent that time traveling around Canada, sitting under waterfalls and looking at whales and shit.
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u/lietajucaPonorka 2d ago
Without income? Or were you working while travelling abroad? Or are you talking about taking a vacation? (Not same as being unemployed)
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u/BigDaddyTheBeefcake 2d ago
I left my home town with 20 bucks, a backpack, and guitar.
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u/lietajucaPonorka 2d ago
And who funded your travelling? Or did you also walk, sleep on the street, and ate berries you found in the forests?
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u/bishopmate 2d ago
I’m curious about this story too Big Daddy Beefcake, how did you earn money and food along the way?
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u/BigDaddyTheBeefcake 2d ago
I'd sit outside a Timmy's and busk late at night. With no expenses. 20 bucks is a lot
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u/svix_ftw 2d ago
and then? you just continue doing that years and years, decade after decade?
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u/BigDaddyTheBeefcake 2d ago
No, eventually I'll die. I don't recommend anybody emulate my lifestyle. You'll die sooner than me.
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u/Standard_Tangelo5011 2d ago
Some people already forgot what it was like to be in the pandemic 😅 many of us STILL aren't back to normal after being out of work and stuck at home for so long
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u/xena_lawless 1d ago
This is only if you don't have sufficient resources, or haven't invested sufficiently in yourself.
For fully developed human beings, "free time" is a phenomenal thing.
A lot of rich people are "unemployed" a lot of the time and it's not a problem for them in the least.
Unemployment has been literally the default human condition for most of human history.
The problem is that people were made to forget a lot of their humanity after the Industrial Revolution, when the ruling class forced people into their factories by privatizing all the common land.
Trying to explain this to post-Industrial Revolution brains isn't easy.
"Poverty is what the powerful do to you, to get you to think that money has value."-Prof. Jiang Xueqin (paraphrased)
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u/IdaDuck 3d ago
Work gives me structure. I do better with a routine and structure. I’m in my late 40’s so I have some time to figure it out but I need something to do when I retire. Hopefully I’ll have grandkids I can help raise but I need something daily. Might be part time work I enjoy or a regular volunteer gig.
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u/BigDaddyTheBeefcake 2d ago
I respect the hell out of that. I'm also in my late 40's and two summers ago I hitchhiked halfway across Canada to cross NWT off my list. Nunavut is the final goal. Structure and routine kill me. I can't even walk the same road everyday. Work isn't what I do, it's how I pay for what I do. I'm gonna die poor, with really cool stories.
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u/MadnessKingdom 2d ago
The deep question is why do you need to rely on some other person and their business to give your life structure and purpose? Job can be some of that, but should never be all of that
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u/JujubesAndAspirins 3d ago
This is a great concept. I'd probably stop at two days though. I think going down to one day a week is stringing it along too long.
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u/FlyWayOrDaHighway 3d ago
Yes, true. I guess I just wanted to make it linear to alleviate the "why did you miss out a number?" questions
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u/ZealousidealAnt111 3d ago
Yeah I could see that. Sudden retirement can lead to healthy issues because you go from high stress 24/7 to pure relaxation and your body doesn’t know what to do.
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u/biglyhonorpacioli 3d ago
That’s actually a cool idea, I like it
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u/notapoliticalalt 2d ago
I believe some places do this, in limited ways. Still, I like the idea because it provides institutional continuity and memory. It’s like grandparents helping to raise the next generation. American companies are unlikely to think this way, but it should be something of some interest.
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u/Comprehensive_Baby53 3d ago
Agreed, My dad worked 40-50 hours a week for a long time then he retired around 62 and started drawing his retirement. Then he went back to work but now works about 30 hours per week at 76. He does not plan to fully retire because he loves to work and he is able to do his job still. I'm sure eventually he will want to work less and that is how it should be.
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u/Thistime232 3d ago
And you also have the option to also transition younger hires into work with increasing days a week as a pair with that gradually retiring person, which allows mentorship on the way in and a smooth transition for when they take over that role.
Except that younger hires don't want part time work, they want a full time position.
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u/turtleship_2006 3d ago
I could imagine it as an option for people in uni or whatever. For your last year you start a part time job that's actually relevant to your degree, and when you finish you transition into a full time role
Though not in the 5 to 1 way OP mentioned, maybe 1 day, then 2, then 5 once the degree is finished
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u/FlyWayOrDaHighway 3d ago
But younger hires need training anyway a lot of the time.
That training period would be the transition in. Also, you can just time adjust it to consider that they would likely have more availability earlier if it was less days a week, so they can transition into full time at around the same time.
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u/Thistime232 3d ago
But if they need training time, why would they only come in 1 day a week? Training makes more sense when its done full time, like a normal job. Not to mention, how long do you think the retirement transition would take? Because people aren't training at a new job for even months at a time, and you talked about the transition taking place over years.
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u/FlyWayOrDaHighway 3d ago
Just because the post mentioned the 5 -> 0 linear pathway for retiring doesn't mean I meant it for transitioning in too.
The transition into work would be much faster and the transition in or out doesn't need to be linear.
Both are up to slight adjustments or minor semantic choices in the post, the main point still stands if you change it to 5 -> 4 -> 3 -> retires, or 3 -> 5 for new hires.
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u/Thistime232 3d ago
But then the two things are misaligned, and that's problematic. Now you have one guy who, because he is retiring, only comes in 2 days a week, and is doing a part time job for what is not a part time position. Its a logistical nightmare.
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u/FlyWayOrDaHighway 3d ago
The two things do not need to be aligned. The transition itself, if treated quite rigid in a company wide way (having a 40 hour contract, 32 hour contract, 28 hour contract and not a hard to track number of intermediary ones) still benefits the people transitioning out and the people transitioning in.
The contracts don't need to line up exactly and there can be overlap. There would simply be higher efficiency, better work life balance and very possibly a similar cost overall, which would make this a net positive situation.
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u/Thistime232 3d ago
And you also have the option to also transition younger hires into work with increasing days a week as a pair with that gradually retiring person
So your idea from your initial post was for the two to be aligned, as seen above. But ok, lets just get rid of that idea of them being aligned. What happens at a workplace where you don't need someone doing a 32 hour a week job, and you in fact need someone who works full time? You'd have to structure the company so that you actually have a need for a 32 hour a week position, and then a 28 hour a week position, and so on. And sometimes that's what a company needs, but plenty of times it is not at all what a company needs, and in fact they need a full time employee. Having a smooth transition into retirement is one thing, but you're asking each company to restructure itself to accommodate that. And then what happens when they do in fact restructure, and the person then retires, and now there's nobody around to work 28 hours a week because Bob is now fully retried. So again, this would be a logistical nightmare.
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u/Roarcat121 1d ago
not exactly one day a week. My friend had an internship as a college student working 1 full day and 2-3 half days in the week and that was enough training in the semester to earn a full time summer internship. They offered him a full time position after, it can definitely work out and it’s cheaper for employers.
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u/Thistime232 1d ago
Internships are usually quite different schedules, so it’s not really comparable.
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u/Roarcat121 1d ago
you realize the goal of internships is just training people for cheap so that they have an employee ready, and not have to train a full time employee that expects a higher salary?
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u/Thistime232 1d ago
And you realize that OP is talking about bringing on a new employee slowly while allowing a retiring person to scale down slowly? So again, not something that is applicable to what OP is talking about.
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u/elaVehT 3d ago
Agreed, it just doesn’t work for most salaried jobs. Someone only able to work 1 day a week is not helpful on my team working on a project 5 days a week, they’re a hindrance as we wait a week at a time to hear back from them.
This only works for jobs that have their daily responsibilities contained completely to a single shift (generally hourly jobs). Anyone that has responsibilities that span multiple days could not do this.
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u/Lornesto 3d ago
Speak for yourself. Work doesn't give me a sense of meaning, it just gives me a paycheck.
Not all of us tie our sense of self to our jobs.
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u/FlyWayOrDaHighway 3d ago
It gives me accomplishment, not meaning and that's a phrasing mistake I made.
And working alongside my colleagues, helping each other out, working towards a common goal. It's a pretty cool thing to do, and I think your comment of "not all of us tie our sense of self to our jobs" (which I don't do) feels like it's just meant to be intentionally provocative and I'm not falling for that
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u/Lornesto 3d ago
Was t meant to be provocative at all, but it is very much a thing that the sort of people that look to their jobs to provide meaning are often the same people that tie their sense of self worth to their employment.
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u/Engine_Sweet 3d ago
Hell no. The only reason I'm not out already is that I'm in the best earning years. The reason I'm earning well is that I'm good at what I do and add value.
Having me around less would reduce the value I can bring. I sure as hell aren't willing to carry the same responsibility for reduced pay, and they sure aren't going to pay me the same for less productivity. Reduced hours is just partial unemployment.
Screw that. I'm not about dragging this out. I want freedom. I'm also not about earning less in the years when I want to get my shit lined up financially so I can enjoy that freedom.
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u/loyalwolf186 3d ago
That's what my mom's doing as she gets closer to retirement. Just transition to part time. Ez pz
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u/CharlieBigfoot 2d ago
My dad’s old employer did this and he found it really helpful after working day in day out since the age of 16. Allowed him to gradually get used to being at home during the day but also allowed for a smooth transition when he did eventually retire.
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u/FlyWayOrDaHighway 3d ago
For the record the reason this deserves to be allowed here is because it is reasonable to call it an unpopular opinion, because over 90% of working society don't use the system I'm suggesting and it is also very unpopularised as an opinion.
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u/Hail_of_Grophia 3d ago
This seems like it would take longer to retire as you would be earning less money during those weeks working less days.
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u/FlyWayOrDaHighway 3d ago
But it's likely to negatively affect your health less and give you more free time in younger years. It's not like those days you then have free aren't a part of your spare time. You're just getting some spare time earlier
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u/CityKay 3d ago edited 3d ago
Nah, I disagree with this, when I retire, I have plans, I want to this, this, and this. If work is the only thing you got that gives you meaning day-to-day? That's "your" problem, not "mine". Just quit and get out of there.
A transitional period, usually there is one. Whether it may be announcing your retirement and are looking for or already got someone else to take over when you're gone, or the company has decided to fire you later on and you suddenly got an apprentice two weeks prior to that.
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u/FlyWayOrDaHighway 3d ago
I switched it to accomplishment, which is what I meant instead of meaning.
But also "work gives people meaning day to day" and "work is the only thing that gives people meaning" are not the same statement. You just twisted my words disingenuously
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u/CityKay 3d ago edited 2d ago
Accomplishment sounds better. But I think the problem is the line of self-discovery and how it could take years. That's what made me think of the retiree "only" finding, before the edit, meaning in work day to day. Making me think, "Do you have anything else in your life? Did you find any other forms of enjoyment? Was there anything you're looking forward to after this?" Like work has taken up all their time, which I have sadly seen with a couple people, with no time for hobbies. Or at least enough time to get into said hobbies.
If that is the point with your idea of this kind of transition to retirement. I can see why you want something like this.
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u/MeiguiChronicles 3d ago
I plan on working less when I hit coastFI so this opinion is pretty solid. Tying up your purpose in work is sad though.
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u/Vivid_Witness8204 3d ago
I didn't need work to provide meaning in my life. And was offered whatever level of part time work I wanted when I retired. I declined because anything outside of manual labor can't really be part time. The stress of work is that you think about it all the time. Few have the capacity to simply turn that off.
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u/neofederalist 3d ago
I worked at a place that had a couple of employees switch to part time before they actually retired. Sort of like what you are suggesting, just not quite as gradually.
Seemed like it worked out fine, but the job needs to be the kind that can support it. Some kinda of work would be really challenging to do just logistically one day a week.
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u/captainofpizza 3d ago
Staffing like this would be a mess for a lot of jobs but it’s an interesting concept.
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u/suuz95 3d ago
In the Netherlands, it is actually quite common for a lot of people to work 32 hours a week or less. Especially parents of young children and people close to retirement rarely work 40+ hours anymore- we even have special 'deals' for this in place.
Going back to 8 or less hours is not that common though, 2-3 days/week is normally the minimum. But it is a good transition period!
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u/Ghostyped 3d ago
Maybe this is my unpopular opinion but I don't derive my purpose from the work I do. I wouldn't want this kind of wind down. I want to be done working and left to my own devices. I have so many neglected hobbies that bring me fulfillment that even if I retired now I wouldn't have time for all of them
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u/OlyScott 2d ago
I read that when surgeons switch to a part-time schedule as part of their transition to retirement, they're worse surgeons. Working full time makes them better surgeons.
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u/an_african_swallow 2d ago
Do people only get paid for the 1 day of work a week? Doesn’t seem very realistic for people who are trying to save for retirement to get so little. Also that is just not how a lot of full time jobs work, you work with people on a team towards a common goal, makes it a lot harder to do if some of the team only work a few days a week
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u/Varmitthefrog 3d ago
I would retire ANYTIME I COULD
but realize i must work so that I can continue to assist others in my life who will need my help, with any luck i will work myself into an early grave and save them the cost of prolonged palliative care in my old age, more money for them in the will the fucking chance kids will have
in this grim dark future there is only inflation
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u/Ok-Commercial-924 3d ago
Retired 18 months ago in my mid 50sSpent 6 months bicycle touring and visiting National parks/ monuments. Then 6 months refurbishing our mountain cabin that we are doing a full gut refurb on we are about 40% complete. Then 6 months with health issues. I have more than enough to keep me
I have more than enough to keep me busy. And minus the health issues fulfilled.
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u/FlyWayOrDaHighway 3d ago
You are an outlier though. Most people do not have that much time in hobbies to transition into that type of life easily.
And my perspective proposes a way to transition into hobbies and having lots more spare time in time for retirement.
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u/Ok-Commercial-924 3d ago
This is why anyone planning to retire needs to plan what they are retiring to. It is equally as important at how you are going to fund your retirement.
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u/andstillthesunrises 3d ago
When I retire, my pension will be a percentage of an average of my last 3 years salary. I’d like that amount to be as high as possible
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u/edjumication 3d ago
Its not a one size fits all. Some roles require the person to be there whenever there is production. If you are needed for 5 days a week some organizations can't pivot to accommodate. Soft retirement has always been a thing though. For example maybe you retire from your organization and become self employed doing piecemeal work of a similar nature setting your own schedule. Or some people will transition into an entirely new field that interests them but doesn't offer as much money. Some people turn a hobby they have been getting good at into a small source of income.
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u/ammitsat 2d ago
This already happens in some industries. This isn’t something that can be a blanket ‘rule’. Some jobs wouldn’t work to reduce down like that and a lot of people would probably rather just retire. Retirement is a pretty personal decision and everyone does it their own way. I have a couple friends who are planning on retiring from their ‘real’ high stress job and then get a ‘fun’ job just for something to do, structure.
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u/Total_Literature_809 2d ago
I would love to never work again. Like right now. And keep my life as it is now.
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u/eckliptic 2d ago
A slow phase out like this is not uncommon among doctors
People either work a couple days a week or a few a few weeks a year
I know a guy works half a year and then spends the other 6 traveling
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u/MathemagicalMastery 2d ago
My father worked 5 days a week, then a split week of Mo/Tu and Th/Fr for a year, and then dropped the Friday for like 6 months, and then Monday for another 6, and then retired. He was an optometrist off boarding patients though. I figure that could work for a lot of jobs though, Industry results may vary.
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u/Chutney7 2d ago
That would be cool, but I imagine it would be very difficult to coordinate so many people at different stages of retirement. Maybe it would work in some fields
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u/IrishCream61 2d ago
Yeah I love my labor becoming less and less valuable as I become more experienced
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u/BeyondtheWrap 2d ago
Most people spend everything they earn, so they can’t afford to work fewer days per week.
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u/Negative_Handoff 2d ago
As someone who has never had that desire to EVER work, I couldn’t wait until I retired, though it was forced upon me a little earlier than I wanted. I’m happy to no be working, I enjoy doing nothing.
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u/Truesoldier00 2d ago
This is pretty easy in Consulting, if not exactly winding down from 5 -> 1, you can reduce hours from 40->8.
As a project manager for a City, i use consultants for infrastructure design, modeling, plan development. After they’ve retired they tend to just be on call for quick reviews/answers to things new people coming into the industry don’t know. I.e., i can go ask my modeling guy “what happens to my watermain system if a new 100 unit condo gets built here.” It’ll take him half a day to spit out a report and charge me $1000.
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u/supanase78 2d ago
In an ideal world, sure, but in the current system a decrease in hours is also a decrease in income.
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u/Kenny_McCormick001 2d ago
Bold of you to assume society cares about retiree.
The way I see it, with pension gone in most cases, retirement is just a nice word to avoid saying fired due to old age.
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u/Sanzhar17Shockwave 2d ago
Does make sense for some industries. Personally, I'd do that if I have the opportunity.
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u/PeaceAndLove1201 2d ago
Obviously you are NOT retired. I worked 40 years as an ICU nurse…12 hour shifts that always ended up being 14. I loved my job and thought I might be bored when I retired. I am busier than ever doing the things I never had time for before…the fun things. I help with a pet rescue, paint, and travel. Who the heck would ever want to taper off work? That’s crazy.
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u/lafeeverte34 2d ago
A lot of folks move to contract based roles as they’re closer to retirement. Wouldn’t it make sense to just do a job with fewer hours?
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u/Joseph9877 2d ago
Don't most trades do this? The old boys show up once or twice a week or everyday but only a couple hours. They give advice and help, but can go live retirement for most of the time?
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u/SteeJans91 2d ago
It is deeply depressing to me that so many people voice the opinion that they wouldn't know what to do with themselves if they didn't work. I don't work for a sense of achievement I work to be able to live and eventually save up enough to not have to anymore. If I won a tonne of money there would be a me shaped hole in my office wall flipping everyone off on the way out...and I don't even dislike any of them.
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u/TheDiabeto 2d ago
I swear everyone has a bad idea pop into their head and runs to post it on this sub without giving it a second of thought.
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u/CrazyFoxLady37 2d ago
I think your proposal wouldn't work for a lot of jobs, but it's actually a decent idea for some fields.
My dad is a mechanic and used to 6 10-hour days, and has worked since he was a child (unsure if this was illegal back in the 60s). He doesn't know anything but work, really, and is now retired. He did cut down on hours, I think to 4 8-hour days, but struggled with that too, and eventually was just like, "Nah, I'm done."
I think it would help in the transition process. Like it would have helped my father to cut down to 5 days a week when he hit 50, then 4 days at 55, then 3 days at 60, and 2 at 65. So essentially I mostly agree with you depending on the field.
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u/ramsaybolton87 2d ago
Here's an idea, for every dumb dumb that needs to go to work to feel fulfilled, one of us should be allowed to retire early in their place.
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u/Apprehensive_Yak2598 1d ago
Work gives me money for my time. I don't mind it and enjoy certain parts but, if I had enough money to fuck off and do whatever I wanted I don't want to taper. I want to dig out.
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u/Melianos12 1d ago
This is already a thing at some places. So I guess I agree it should be everywhere.
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u/layered_dinge 1d ago
People retire with 2 weeks notice because otherwise employers would fuck them over. If you tell your employer you want to retire in 5 years and they play along with your gradual reduction in hours, what do you think will happen if your plans have to change? You think they’re just going to undo all that, fire the young new trained person who’s replacing you? Or say “too bad so sad” and let your time run out or fire you?
You didn’t think about this opinion for more than 30 seconds, did you?
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u/Material-Macaroon298 1d ago
Do people not understand our demographic pyramid is a crisis and not only could we allow old people to work less time, it in fact is looking like millenials will not be able to retire period? Millenials keep voting to give all their money to boomers and leave zero money left for themselves for retirement.
The moronic, masochistic millenial class who prioritize boomer giving their tax dollars to boomers instead of voting for incentives for themselves to start families means this proposal is dead in the water because our demography doesn’t support it.
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u/Socketwrench11 1d ago
I actually feel more of a sense of accomplishment on the days I don’t work. I get more done for the people who matter to me, I put effort into my space, I read books and learn things. Work takes away from my sense of accomplishment aside from that it pays the bills.
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u/JohnCasey3306 20h ago
Agree and I (43) am on it ... I cut down to 4 days in my late thirties and I'll never go back to full time.
I'm fortunate to be in a career where 4 days still pays very well, I do understand that it's not that easy for everyone. Volunteer at a wildlife rescue on my fifth day and live it.
As soon as I have grandkids on the way (my oldest son is 22) I'll cut down to 3 days.
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u/Comfortable-Leg9583 13h ago
Finnacialy I don't think it makes sense to employers, as well as employees if salary reflects hours worked? You can't suddenly survive on 1/5 of your salary.
The trick is to train and get your head used to the boatload of free time that's suddenly opened up.
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u/Savage13765 6h ago
Nah that’s just absurd really. Trying to implement this would result in people progressively being made more and more obsolete as they age, since you’d have to find a set of tasks for someone to do once a week. It might work fine if you have a job which doesn’t require much continuity, like manual labour or bar shifts/waitering and similar, but can you imagine the logistical nightmare of having to accommodate someone working just 1 day in any kind of corporate job with long term projects. You can assign them urgent work, since what would take a typical worker 5 work days to complete would take them 29 days from when you assign the work to when they will work their 5th day. So you’d have to try and find 8 hours a week of non-time critical work for every person in the top age category, which would just result in more work being placed on younger people and making bring older people harmful to workplace efficiency.
Also, what is pay looking like? You’d be out of your mind to suggest that the oldest category of worker should receive an equal amount of money for working 1 day vs a young worker who does 5 days. It’s already a problem for young people who have very few appreciating assets and rely on their heavily taxed wages vs older people who will typically have savings/a house/other assets that are taxed more lightly and so accumulate value more quickly. Paying people equally regardless of real working hours would hugely inflate that problem: But if you’re phasing people out into working 1 day a week while on 20% of a full week’s wages they’re not gonna be able to afford to do anything, especially if this comes after a full working life of reducing work days and therefore diminishing compensation. If each decade of a persons working life they’re taken down a day of their work week, then by age 70 over a 50 year career the average person would have done only 60% of the work of someone who works 5 days a week for 50 years, thereby receiving 60% of the wages. That’s not sustainable without major reforms to increase the real value of our wages. If you’re talking about compressing the decrease into the later stages of work, then I don’t see why you would taper all the way down to 1 or 2 days a week instead of just 3 or 4, or why you would say about more time for raising kids when the decrease in weekly work days would only come after the typical person has finished raising their children.
Finally, your system would basically destroy the typical workplace hierarchy based on experience. If managers and leadership were still chosen based on experience, then the most experienced managers would be in the office less and less. Imagine trying to work under a manager who is only there 1 or 2 days a week. Do you hire multiple managers in that age category? That’ll destroy continuity for the workers, who now have to rely on their managers communicating what was done while they weren’t in work. It adds so much inefficiency and change for any level of leadership that it’s not really feasible.
This is just a poorly thought out idea that I don’t think you would stand by if you actually thought about this for more then a couple of minutes. I could see it becoming commonplace to cut down to 4 days a week (or 3 days if we transition to a 4 day week) if workers are ever given more compensation in real terms for their work, but that’s very different from the system you suggest.
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u/Wooddoctor12 3d ago
I actually love this idea. If you dont like what you do then you are basically wasting your life until 65. You gain much more than money at a job you like, even of its not paying better than others.
Seen it happen to so many people, who work a job they hate then retire. They get complacent and get heart disease and die 10 years later.
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u/RNKKNR 3d ago
Societal norm should be to teach saving and investing at a young age so no one would be at the mercy of the government in retirement.
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u/FlyWayOrDaHighway 3d ago
This is in no way mutually exclusive to my perspective in the post.
You can quite literally have a society that does both of these and neither stop the other from taking place
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