AIBU to wonder where the women over 50 are in the workforce?

[Waferbiscuit]

I'm over 50 and I've noticed a very obvious trend of women leaving the workforce at around my age. Throughout my 40s I saw many women my age move to part-time, but they were still visible. Now I go into meetings (I attends lots of cross-org plus city-wide/region-wide meetings) and I never see women my age or older.

Anecdotally the four women my age who I worked alongside have all left their roles to do a bit of consultancy work or stop working altogether.

Is it just my sector or is this trend something other people are seeing in their line of work? Are women at 50 leaving the workforce because of caring responsibilities? Of course not all women have caring responsibilities so are they leaving because their other half (if they have a partner) makes more money? Or is the workforce just breaking people, so by 50 women stand up and say 'I've had enough' ??? Genuinely curious.

Loads at my work (civil service)

90% of my colleagues are over 50 female with a few others in mid-late 40s.

60 and still working full time (at home)

I'm surrounded by senior women in their 50s. Lots still aiming for and getting promotions as well.

@WinterBargains2739 Even if you have your full 35 years contributions you cannot take your state pension until you reach state pension age. I reached my full contribution level a few years ago but will not receive state pension until I'm 67. (I'm assuming you're in the UK)

I'm 56 and I'm still here [waves]. Senior academic with no intention of applying for further promotion. Can't see myself retiring for a while yet I'm afraid.

@WinterBargains2739 You really need to read up on this if you believe that you will get your state pension at 55. It's simply not the case.

@inawe - I wonder if that poster was not in the UK?

Plenty in the NHS in their 60s, I'm one😳

@StaplesCorner I did wonder that. Otherwise they're going to get a nasty shock!

53 here and now earning more my best salary with less responsibility than I had in my late 30s. I am the oldest female employee, in fact in my division the only other female is fresh out of uni.
There are no females on the board, and this company have never had any. In the other divisions one has no females and the other only has them in admin roles.
I don’t like it and think it is really poor and that the company would benefit from a different view thank white men. 10 years ago I would have been fired up to change this. But now especially after the pandemic where there were a raft of redundancies that targeted people who challenged the management, I keep my head down and collect the pay check.

I have carved out a niche role that suits my skillset, doesn’t overwork me and I can do from home. I am also waiting a decision on reducing to 4 days.

My DC have left home but are not yet self supporting as they are at uni or not yet started their careers so a second income is helpful.

DH and I will be thinking about retirement within 5 years and it will be sooner for me if I can’t reduce my days.

[quote StaplesCorner]@inawe - I wonder if that poster was not in the UK?[/quote]
She is but she explained upthread that she also has private pensions which she can access at 55 in addition to the state pension which she can get at 67

I'm nearly 60 work for a women's organisation, most staff are female and most well over 55 (my boss is 76). Big benefit in that organisation is completely family orientated. I'm in a middle management type role but personally I feel lost (work part time mostly from home, and also more or less a full time carer). To be honest I can't blame caring responsibilities because I was more or less lost 10 years ago! its only gotten worse as I've got older.

I struggle with technology and those staff that are younger than me really run rings - its embarrassing. I wish I could leave at 60 but like others on this thread dont work dont eat, will have a mortgage to pay until I am 70. I did work freelance for years when the DC were young and it paid the bills most of the time, but now I need a guaranteed income so I wont be able to do that again. I'll just spend the next 7 years looking daft in the corner trying to work the photocopier ...

Really? In my sector, 40s and 50s is when women really kick their careers into gear - children secondary aged and older, not needing to work part time anymore to juggle childcare

I’m closer to 60 than 50 and I still wirk

@1967buglet - oh I see, sorry was behind the thread (bit like being at work!)

I’m 50 and I’ve just taken on a more demanding job with a longer commute - because I felt I had to for the higher salary. The household needs it right now

But yes, I feel I’m surrounded by women my age who have lots of time for yoga/ long dog walks/ festive fairs during the week, and I do feel a bit sad about it

@StaplesCorner No worries, It is a long thread! I almost missed this myself!

@1967buglet it read to me that she thought you automatically got your pension when you reached 35 years of NI contributions.
I'm also in the position of being able to take my occupational pension at 55. I'm now 58 and I'm probably going to retire at 60, and will then get my state pension at 67. A recent briefing day of all our related departments really underlined to me that I was one of the oldest women there, and a recent (large) batch of new recruits all seemed to be in their twenties and thirties. Having said that, our top boss is a 60 year old woman, but she retires in April.

@BoredZelda

Don’t see that in my world (IT) - seeing a lot of 50+ women taking on senior roles, leading organisations, mentoring next gen

Same in construction. Plenty of women over 50 working as construction professionals, and most 9f the clients I work with are women in that age group.

Indeed. There's such a skills shortage that 50s is at the younger end

@1967buglet It is a bit ambiguous - I'm hoping for her sake she wasn't under that false impression!

Construction that is!

I am 44 and I see very few people over 50 - and most definitely very few women. I have often wondered the same thing!
I am hoping it's because once the mortgage and school fees are gone, they can afford to relax, but I am very concerned it's lack of opportunity. How many of the men in their 40s (who tend to be the managers) would give senior roles to women who are 10 / 15/ 20 years older than them, and would want to have them reporting into them? Not many I suspect.

55 working 55 hr weeks sometimes.
My boss is 30 yrs my junior and no other women in my type of role let alone any one over 50.
Physically demanding job.

@inawe it did for me too, so her comments prompted me to look upthread where she clarified matters. I’m in the same situation…working part time a little more, and then like you taking occupational pensions at 55. I have American Social security which I can take at 62 and a UK state pensions which I can take at 67. My DH likes his job and will probably crack on working until 62 or so. But I am realising I’m seen as ‘old’ at work…most of the new hires are in their 30s.