Many Older Males Not Excited About Retirement
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doockie/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Retirement might seem like the pot at the end of the rainbow but for many male Baby Boomers, it just seems like the end.
Yujie Zhan, assistant professor at Canada’s Wilfrid Laurier University, says there are men between the ages of 50 to 68 who look at retirement with dread since they feel it means they’re no longer useful.
That’s likely why men are more eager to return to work than women after initially calling it quits. Zhan and colleague Junqi Shi believe this is because the gender role theory comes into play that men are breadwinners and women are caregivers.
The researchers say that employers should keep in mind that Baby Boomers can be valuable when they reach their golden years by taking mentorship roles, that is, passing down the knowledge they’ve accrued over time to younger, less experienced workers.
Zahn adds, “Baby boomers find this more meaningful, so it is effective if they are given a role where they feel recognized.”
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