Question
I am working in a senior role in a big organisation where I am line manager for many colleagues, some of whom are nearing retirement age. I enjoy my work and most of my colleagues are great. However, the relatively new option of staying in work until 70 is causing a degree of chaos with a minority in the 60+ age group.
More and more, I find myself on the receiving end of aggressive behaviour from these individuals, where a colleague says they have no more to give to the workplace, and would ideally like to leave, but somehow seems unable to make the decision to actually retire “early” (it was much simpler when we were all forced to leave at 65). In some cases, they have financial commitments and are unable to leave before 70; in others they are burned out and tired, sometimes quite ill.
So, they take their stress, upset and feelings of loss (also their career disappointments) and bewilderment out on me, on their co-colleagues and on anyone else around. I have been threatened, insulted and yelled at. A minority choose to work to rule, or dodge hard work as best they can. I have even had one senior figure inform me that they intend to remain on full pay but do none of the “hard” work at all for the next one-plus years. What makes someone feel they can act this way?
While I see their anguish and feel sorry for them, this behaviour is really tough on all other colleagues and causes huge resentment. Any advice on how end-of-career colleagues may locate their own joy outside work that helps them to let go and retire gracefully, without trying to destroy the careers, work lives and the workplace of everyone else around them?
‘Although my current job has a structured career path and is secure, I find it meaningless’
‘I am divorced at 60, envious of my ex-husband’s new life and struggling with loneliness’
‘I’m dating a previously married man but I feel sad that I will always come second to his children’
‘A stranger entered our family and turned them all against us’
Answer
You certainly seem to have encountered some difficulties with the later retirement age for employees and while those you speak about are presenting difficulties for many organisations, it is of huge benefit to retain the knowledge and skills of these workers.
You say you have been threatened, insulted and yelled at, and this is an unacceptable experience in any workplace and needs attention. I assume your organisation has a Dignity & Respect policy and perhaps this needs to be evoked now in order to make the ground rules for communication clear to everyone. A Dignity & Respect policy outlines a code of conduct for everyone and breaches of this can be addressed, in either informal or formal routes, depending on the circumstances.
As the retirement rules are new for your workplace, HR may need to become involved to look at the needs arising in a workforce that includes people who stay beyond 65. It might be possible to introduce a range of offerings to accommodate these needs, eg shorter working year, part-time positions, etc, and the approach needed to handle the situation should be very familiar territory for any HR professional.
However, there may also be a need for mediated conversations (in your section) where feelings of resentment can be explored and understood in a way where everyone feels that their point of view is respected. HR will have experience and knowledge of facilitating mediation, but they can do nothing until they are notified of a problem.
You sound very angry and resentful, and it might be worthwhile managing your own emotions before challenging a colleague or consulting HR. You want to come across as someone who is considerate, calm and insightful, and these qualities can’t be faked. It might be useful to use your organisation’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to help you work through your strong emotions so that you are able to separate your anger from your observations and suggestions.
If you do not address these emotions, you may struggle to be heard as people will respond to your condemnation and not to the underlying issue. In fact, your own working life would improve if it were not suffused by anger and at the very least you might be less stressed by your time at work.
Fairness and justice are core issues for most of us and when we witness breaches of these it can trigger huge reactions. Sometimes what we are triggered by involves more than what is in front of us, and your EAP counsellor might help you untangle if there is more going on than just the work issue and, as we are all complicated beings, this may be likely.
You are in a position of some power (senior position) in the organisation and perhaps you could consider setting up a group that looks at fairness issues at work. This would need to include people from all parts of the organisation, including trade unions and HR.
Your passion could be used to improve everyone’s working life and perhaps include a culture shift in how to have difficult conversations and this would be of benefit to all.
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