To think there's nothing wrong with 'coasting towards retirement'/

[user1485342611]

A woman where I work is coming close to retirement (about 2 years to go). She's beginning to take a bit of a back seat at work. She still does her job and does it to a very good standard, but isn't bothered about putting in extra hours, volunteering for committees and so on.

A couple of people have started to talk disapprovingly about 'these people who just want to coast along until they retire'.

AIBU to see nothing wrong with this? She's doing the job she's paid to do but will not be seeking any further promotions, has no need to make her mark or impress management, has no real vested interest in the future direction of the organisation or anything like that.

Surely it makes more sense to pull back if that's what you want, devote more time to outside interests, and leave the other stuff to younger people who still have careers ahead of them, while you prepare for.a new chapter in your life

I don’t see anything wrong with it either. But then I’m very much work to live, not live to work.

She does what she is paid to do at a good standard.

That's the contract. No issue.

I’m in my early 30s and I’m like this already! I’m not a career-oriented person and as far as I’m concerned, so long as I’m doing my job to a high standard, that’s all that matters. I don’t mind if it means people getting promoted ahead of me! I’m perfectly content. My life starts when I leave the office, so I want to be able to leave it as early as possible. Both DH and I work 8-4 and have agreed that family time is more of a priority for us than money, so we’re happy to sacrifice foreign holidays and gadgets for time together.

I think because she's so experienced she can do the job well with time to spare, some people think she should be looking around for other stuff to do. But she's just not bothered anymore.

Unfortunately there does seem to be this increasing corporate attitude in some industries that going above and beyond is the norm, and anyone ‘just’ ticking their job description boxes is coasting.

The fact is the company would drop you in a heartbeat without any second thought if they had to, regardless of how hard you work, so you should look out for yourself first and foremost.

Fair play to your colleague, nobody on their deathbed thinks ‘I wish I’d spent more time working..’

As long as she does what her job description says, does it to a good standard, does her contracted hours, don’t really see a problem.

I leave the youngsters to it where I work, to do the extras, good luck to them.

You get to a certain age and you realise what actually is important in life 😀👍🍷

It's my plan!

If she is being paid the same as everyone else, then she should be working as hard (and as much) as everyone else.

I know a few 50-60 year olds at work who are the laziest people there. They have worked 20-35 years, and think that entitles them to sit back and do sod-all half the time, whilst others pick up the slack.

Even a couple of women who are mid 50's who didn't start paid work til they were 40, are bone idle. They have the nerve to slag off the young/millennials too.

...
By the way, not ALL over 50's are lazy, but the 4 or 5 slackers at my workplace are all over 50. There are still many over that age who are hard workers though.

I thought you were going to say she didn’t do the work! In your case, no - not at all unreasonable.

A colleague of mine retired last eeek and he did sweet fuck all in the months preceding it. Which left the rest of us to pick up the slack, while he surged the internet —and printed off any articles he could find relating to any chat we had, i shredded so much crap—

If she is being paid the same as everyone else, then she should be working as hard (and as much) as everyone else

Totally wrong. She needs to do the job she is paid to do, no more and no less. It makes no difference what other people do either above or below that mark.

I've been staggering (rather than coasting) towards retirement since I turned 16. However I won't ever retire because I won't be able to afford it. I show up on time, work hard and pray for 5pm to come. That is what I'm paid for. I'm out of there like shit off a shovel.

I don't really understand what else I should be doing, to be honest. I wouldn't expect anything different of anyone else. What should this colleague be doing?

I'd love to skive more, but I'm too frightened to.

I wish I was braver, and felt able to come out as a lazy fucker. I am full of admiration for the fearless shirkers. They are role models for us all.

We're retiring in a few years. We go to work, do the job, come home on time, get paid.
Fuck taking on extra hours, responsibility, volunteering or any other shite.

I actually think it's quite healthy to start to detach a bit from work in the years before you retire and to become much more interested in outside stuff. I have seen some people really dreading retirement because their job remains totally central to their lives and they have no real outside interests or activities to take its place.

Agree wholeheartedly with what Sparklesocks has written. I am in my mid 50s and took voluntary redundancy earlier this year which I had not really planned on but the terms were right for the taking and I could fortunately afford to do it. Prior to that, I did my job to a high standard (I hope) and enjoyed what I did but the truth was, it was a massive corporate organisation and if your number was up, there was no hesitation about getting rid of you. Volunteering for committees and all that good stuff? Your colleague was probably thinking "been there, seen it, done it and got the T shirt on that one" and the "let somebody else have a go".

'I actually think it's quite healthy to start to detach a bit from work in the years before you retire and to become much more interested in outside stuff. I have seen some people really dreading retirement because their job remains totally central to their lives and they have no real outside interests or activities to take its place.'
As one of these people who have just retired ...... you got it exactly right user well said!

The fact is the company would drop you in a heartbeat without any second thought if they had to, regardless of how hard you work, so you should look out for yourself first and foremost

Exactly that Sparklesocks. I think the biggest con the corporate world has managed to pull is convincing people there is pride and merit in putting in extra hours for free and exhausting themselves in the hope of being noticed. We’re all only a number.

I know of dedicated former colleagues who have been devastated by restructures forcing them out, for no other reason than the companies figured they could replace them with someone cheaper. These were people who would have been described as the typical Company man/woman. Loyal, hardworking, often going above and beyond. It didn’t count when their employers decided they wanted to cut their wage costs to impress the board. I learned from seeing that happen that all I owe my employer is a hard days work. My mental and physical health, my time outside contracted hours? Nope.

She's a wise woman. YADNBU

I understand where you are coming from OP.

But are their co-workers hoping for a bit of mentoring and guidance and wisdom in the workplace - because of all their experience?

I mean 'her' experience.

Perfectly sensible. If she's coming close to retirement then it's pretty silly to start on a committee where the basic term may be two to three years. Much better to allow those who are still progressing/developing to take those roles and demonstrate their ability - hers is not in question. She should be starting to step back and let others take steps forward - as long as she's giving the correct amount of attention to her job and doing it to the same high standard she has previously.

I'm planning to retire within the next year and I suppose I'm coasting. I have a professional role that I do conscientiously. I do all that is required and still add value to my workplace. However, in the past year I have reduced to four days a week and taken a demotion which I myself requested. I no longer volunteer to do any extras, i.e. committees or events. There are some issues as to the future direction of the organisation going on at the moment and when asked my opinion my response is 'no idea, I won't be here'. I'm still working the hours for which I'm paid and performing to a high standard. As far as I'm concerned that's all my employer can expect of me.

I did this, whoever replaced me would equally start at a lower pace. It’s the kind of job that takes time and additional training to do. So by slowing down on the extras, management and colleagues can prepare for the upcoming change as well.
I told my employer several times 2 yr, 1 yr, 9 months and 6 month :)

I've got ten years till retirement and this is my plan
Coasting all the way