Those who cannot retire...

[travelover]

I hated working overtime, but occasionally I'd go into work on a weekend and there would always be the same people there, puttering around their desks, or chatting with the other regulars. My guess is that these same people would come in after retirement just for a place to get away and for the companionship if offered the opportunity.

 

[Sojourner]

It is more surprising when folks continue to show up when they are no longer being paid, I've never worked anywhere that would allow it even for former employees.

Yes, this is exactly my take on it. I'd be very interested to hear how the OP knows they aren't getting paid and under what circumstances they stopped getting paid. Laid off? Forcibly retired? And management has no problem with these folks using company resources (unlimited phones, internet, coffee, snacks, etc.)? Beyond that, wouldn't there be a concern about excessive chatting and fraternizing with the actual employees who are trying to get their work done? Seems like a very, VERY odd situation to me.

 

[medved]

OP here. I guess I never really thought about how unusual the arrangement we have is (allowing senior-level retired folks to keep an office here, if they want to). I have worked here my whole career, so it just seemed normal to me. (Someone asked how I know they don't get paid -- the answer to that is I am in management, so I know what everyone is paid). We do this out of respect for these older people. They were the early generation of people who made the business successful, and we cannot bring ourselves to "throw them out" if they really want to keep showing up. We do move them to smaller, interior offices, but they can show up all they want. Of course, the large majority of retirees don't come in every day -- or at all, other than maybe a rare visit -- but for the 5 or 10 or so who want to be here every day, they are welcome. I just don't understand why they want to do it, and I find it slightly strange and sad. But I sort of like that we allow these people to come in, if they want to. It is not all that expensive. We have the office space anyway. And the incremental cost for coffee and internet and a few hours of secretarial time for their personal needs is no big deal. The least we could do for some of the people who helped build our business.

 

[braumeister]

I just don't understand why they want to do it, and I find it slightly strange and sad.

I have to think that they are individuals with no imagination who can't think of anything else to do. Agreed, it's sad.

 

[Koolau]

My old Megacorp had a policy that retirees could stop into the company Cafe for a free meal whenever they wanted to. I suppose I nicked 'em for 2 or 3 meals in the couple of years before I moved away. But there was this one guy who used to come in every morning at 6:00AM for a free breakfast. He would then stay all morning and talk to his old cronies as they took their breaks in the Cafe and then eat lunch around noon before going off to do whatever he figured retirees did.

After about 6 months, the "powers that be" told him he could no longer continue this practice. It wasn't that he was eating two free meals. They were concerned that he was having a bad influence (I'm supposing here) on other employees facing retirement - or facing a long time until retirement. In any case, they told him he could come in for a meal each day and then leave. It was really sad.

My dad retired from the family (very) small business at 65 (in order to get SS dependent benefits for my sister who was going to college - as well as to collect his "fair share".) Yet he continued to come in to the business as if he still w*rked there. DW was the manager (and had been for some time). She didn't have the heart to kick him out (for several months, that is, heh, heh.) Eventually, even though he did actually "produce", she told him to find something else to do. So he did. He took on odd jobs - from night watchman at a half way house to selling peelers, etc. and growing vegetables to sell at the local markets. He continued to find part-time w*rk until he was physically unable to do so. It was sort of sad, but he was quite happy being "empl*yed" into his 80s. I think my mom stayed on at the family business until 80 (DW had to ask her to leave as well) to have something to do. All very sad except they enjoyed their lives.

 

[friar1610]

[QUOTxE=target2019;1853526]These sound like nice companies. Offer a substitute for meeting at McDonalds, where the coffee is too hot, and the Internet too cold.[/QUOTE]

My reaction was similar when I read the first post. It's not at all unlike the groups of old f@rts I see at coffee shops in the AM - a bunch of guys getting together for chit-chat, affiliation, etc. I see the same thing at the gym. Some folks are clearly there primarily for social reasons. Any exercise is almost incidental to the social aspects, just like getting any work done is for the folks still going to the office.

 

[medved]

I just walked by the offices of a couple of these older gentlemen. One of them was fast asleep, in his chair. (He often is; I am afraid that one day he will not wake up). Another was reading a novel. They seem content, as did the 90 year old retiree who I saw in the office cafeteria, earlier today. But I still don't get it. Then again, I am sure if they knew that I was likely to walk out the door at around age 56, they would be equally perplexed. Indeed, around here, more people would be perplexed by my RE than by these guys coming in every day, and doing nothing, in their 80s.

 

[2017ish]

... I am sure if they knew that I was likely to walk out the door at around age 56, they would be equally perplexed. Indeed, around here, more people would be perplexed by my RE than by these guys coming in every day, and doing nothing, in their 80s.

I definitely have seen this over the years in law firms. And as word circulates outside our office that I'm going to be out as of this summer, by far the biggest reaction is "but what are you going to do?" (DW is finding not as much surprise in the physician community...)

 

[timo2]

I just walked by the offices of a couple of these older gentlemen. One of them was fast asleep, in his chair. (He often is; I am afraid that one day he will not wake up). Another was reading a novel. They seem content, as did the 90 year old retiree who I saw in the office cafeteria, earlier today. But I still don't get it. Then again, I am sure if they knew that I was likely to walk out the door at around age 56, they would be equally perplexed. Indeed, around here, more people would be perplexed by my RE than by these guys coming in every day, and doing nothing, in their 80s.

we actually had one of our scientist emeritus people die on the job. He was apparently in his 80's and when his buddies came to get him for lunch, he was passed away. It was sort of hush hush, but I found out because the admin assistant for the area was accused by some of not paying attention and she filed a complaint to management, and I knew one of the complaint processors. Her defense was something like 'but he always looked that way'.

 

[COcheesehead]

That is bizarre. Ex-employees who show up every day at the job they no longer have.

Amazing.

...Officespace, the movie.

 

[marko]

Some people make up reasons to stay working. Guess there's just nothing else they're interested in. Then there are those who just like being victims.

We had a guy who, at 70 was asked why he keeps working.
" I need the health care benefits!"
When told that he was on Medicare he replied "Yeah, but that's expensive y'know..."

 

[Jerry1]

I can see this with a number of people/professions that were mentioned Professional (Legal, Accounting, Finance . . .), Physicians, Scientists, people who started the business. They love it, they're defined by it and it is a lot better than sitting home watching tv. At least they get out of bed, move, socialize . . . I can kind of see this as being cool. Go to an office, work on my finances, socialize with others. I guess the counter to this is what is better? I'd like to think I'll come up with something better, but I'm not sure, as I am one of those people that have basically worked all my life and been defined by it. Unfortunately, I never loved it and worse, I never defined what I'd like better to do. That's what I'm trying to do now, before I retire in a few months to years. If not, finding that one great thing in life that I want (love) to do may elude me - but I'll keep trying.

 

[OneDay]

Many of us dream of where we'd go when we retire, what we'd do, winters in Florida, summers in New England but there are those who've committed their whole life to a career and they don't know what to do when it's over.
It's sad to me, most of us in this forum want to retire early so we can live, but there are those who want to work because they don't know how to live.

 

[2017ish]

I can see this with a number of people/professions ... Unfortunately, I never loved it and worse, I never defined what I'd like better to do. That's what I'm trying to do now, before I retire in a few months to years. If not, finding that one great thing in life that I want (love) to do may elude me - but I'll keep trying.

Don't limit yourself too much. It need not be one great thing.... Good luck!

 

[ceciledian]

That is truly bizarre... They can still get inside the building and the management doesn't mind??

What kind of business is this?

Srsly, what company allows that? OTOH, I once worked for three gentlemen all in their 70s who still came into their place of business every day and basically did nothing but drink coffee, read the paper and nap. They didn't even speak to each other. But it was still their company...and they had their reasons.

 

[H2ODude]

Had an older gentleman who had worked for my local government for 40 years the day I started at 30 as his boss. He maintained that if you retired you died. I was there 15 years and towards the end, following serious cancer, he was pretty pathetic, yet every day he showed up. No one had the stones to get rid of him, his most important function was historian; he did recall certain details of where things were. Finally passed away a few years after I left, I'm sure his last days in the office were not pretty. There were certainly more worthless people there but rules protected them. RIP ____.

 

[Ready]

Interesting thread. I guess I'm the opposite of these folks though. I really enjoy the work I do, but only because I get to work from home and rarely need to go into the office. It's not that I hate the office visits on occasion. It's nice to see people face to face from time to time. But if I had to go into the office frequently, I'd go back to being fully retired.

I find the part time work I do to be very challenging, and it keeps my brain from turning to mush, so I continue to do it. I never liked hanging out in the office though during my career. It was just something you had to do. To me it was kind of like being in jail for the day.

 

[joeea]

We have a number of people in my office, in their 80s, who come in every day. We no longer pay them anything and they don't really do anything. But every day. there they are -- sitting in their office, chatting on the phone, reading, napping, etc. I guess there is literally nothing in the world they would prefer to do, as an alternative to sitting in their offices and doing nothing. These are very smart and accomplished people, by the way. But they have no other interests or goals?

Your company provides free offices and office services to retirees?

How nice!

 

[Spanky]

All very sad except they enjoyed their lives.

If they truly enjoyed working, why is it sad for them?

 

[HFWR]

During my last few years at a university, I w*rked with a lab manager and two PhD "scientists", all in their early 70s (mid-70s by now), all of whom were financially independent, earning low six figure salaries, drawing a pension and SS, taking RMDs...

All tried retirement for a few years, but got bored, missed the challenges, and, likely, were run off by their wives!

 

[Spanky]

Many of us dream of where we'd go when we retire, what we'd do, winters in Florida, summers in New England but there are those who've committed their whole life to a career and they don't know what to do when it's over.

That's the path that they have chosen. We should respect and accept it.

 

[Mdlerth]

Don't limit yourself too much. It need not be one great thing.... Good luck!

+1

 

[Hermit]

I have worked harder since I retired than I did the last few years on the job. Most every morning I go to my "office" up on the hill and work at building my house. Some day it will I will have the Certificate of Occupancy and will move in and then I can "retire" from my retirement job. But I probably won't.

There is another construction project coming up over at the kid's camp that I am sure I will be heavily involved in. I still have to build a "backyard observatory"...

If I am so lucky as to still be around in my 80s the idea of getting together with other oldsters at McDonald's sounds appealing to me if I get drug out of the mountains because I can't live in a remote area any more.

I don't see these things that much different than someone that continues to work until he gets retired and then still goes into the office. Life is very good if you can do what you want to do and don't have to do things you don't want to do to put bread on the table.

 

[youbet]

successful pro sports and major college coaches often suffer from this. Still coaching in their late 60's despite being worth many millions. The thrill and adrenaline rush from being in the spotlight is something they struggle to leave behind. Judges also come to mind. Sometimes docs too..........

 

[braumeister]

Entertainers. Think of Bob Hope and George Burns.
Although in their case I think we can give them a pass because they brought joy to so many.