ET BureauMUMBAI:When Kolkata school teacher Rita Datta turned 60, she decided she would retire into a career instead of from one. When her term with the school ended last year, she capitalised on her interest in art and reading, and signed up as faculty member of an art appreciation course run by the Kolkata Museum of Modern Art.
“Sixty is no longer what it used to be. At a time when the trend is to get younger with age, retirement is just a stopover in life,” she says.
There is a tectonic shift in the way India’s senior citizens are looking at life after work, compared to the previous generations when retirement meant an end to productive days.
And headhunters are actively looking at this segment to fill positions that require a certain level of expertise and experience.
The senior segment of the workforce comprises people who are retiring, those who have taken voluntary retirement or are returning from abroad and ex-serviceman who join the private sector, says V Suresh, business head of the online jobs portal, Naukri.com.
“These days, specialisation is the key. Sectors like engineering, manufacturing, power and infrastructure require people with expertise. With the energy levels people carry these days, they can easily stretch their productive years till 70,” says Saraswati Venkateshwaran, CEO, Search India.
Telecom engineer Col Surendra Mohla, for instance, took voluntary retirement from the Services in 1996, after which he was sought out by the telecom sector. Col Mohla, 61, worked with the Corps of Signals, known as the Information Warriors of the Indian Army and is currently VP (operations) at Ericsson India.
“I took advantage of the boom in this sector, and was in a position to choose. I have a good 11 to 12 productive years left,” he says.
Persons above 60 comprise 7.5% of our population — a little over 7 crore — according to the 2001 census. Sociologists say, with increase in longevity, mental and physical alertness and dissolution of the joint family system, more 60-plus people are back in the workforce.
A study published in the October 2009 issue of the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, brought out by the American Psychological Association, corroborates this.
Older people who hold temporary or part-time jobs after retirement have been found to enjoy better physical and mental health than those who stop working.
“With children away from home, as a result of the nuclear family phenomenon and migration, it becomes difficult to live alone without something to keep them busy.
For many, working post-retirement is the only way to keep in touch with society,” says Dr Parasuraman, director, Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
BPOs and KPOs in the non-voice sectors have been actively pursuing retirees for their stability, considering attrition is an ongoing issue. “This is also true for industry verticals like aviation, hospitality and retail. If someone has something unique to offer, it will be lapped up,” says Mr Suresh.
As far as the professionals are concerned, while a good opening is a draw, monetary considerations are equally important, with senior citizens belonging to an age when salaries were not at the dizzying levels they are currently at. “Teaching as a career didn’t leave me with savings, though the Sixth Pay Commission is a blessing,” says Ms Datta.
Most elderly people also have a more actualised intent in getting back to work. Post-retirement, they can do just what they want to, rather than be dictated by societal pressures and personal ambition.
However, entering the workforce is no cakewalk, with India’s young people hogging all the jobs. With globalisation and liberalisation, many MNCs have entered India.
For them, India’s young population and the thriving consumer market, again led by the young, make the country an attractive destination, says Krish Lakshikanth of Head Hunters.
“Corporate India is keen on the younger lot. They want people at senior levels to be around 42-47 years of age, at most 50,” he adds.
However, there is one thing the younger generation does not come with. “The new generation is techno savvy and ambitious but the wisdom that comes with experience cannot be replaced.
Just that one needs to make some adjustments post-retirement and make sure one’s body supports one’s spirits,” says Nandini Sardesai, former head of the sociology department at St Xaviers College, Mumbai.
Even with health issues, seniors prefer to keep going. “One has to come to terms with retirement and take it as a lesson in coping with changes,” says Ms Datta.
“Sixty is no longer what it used to be. At a time when the trend is to get younger with age, retirement is just a stopover in life,” she says.
There is a tectonic shift in the way India’s senior citizens are looking at life after work, compared to the previous generations when retirement meant an end to productive days.
And headhunters are actively looking at this segment to fill positions that require a certain level of expertise and experience.
The senior segment of the workforce comprises people who are retiring, those who have taken voluntary retirement or are returning from abroad and ex-serviceman who join the private sector, says V Suresh, business head of the online jobs portal, Naukri.com.
“These days, specialisation is the key. Sectors like engineering, manufacturing, power and infrastructure require people with expertise. With the energy levels people carry these days, they can easily stretch their productive years till 70,” says Saraswati Venkateshwaran, CEO, Search India.
Telecom engineer Col Surendra Mohla, for instance, took voluntary retirement from the Services in 1996, after which he was sought out by the telecom sector. Col Mohla, 61, worked with the Corps of Signals, known as the Information Warriors of the Indian Army and is currently VP (operations) at Ericsson India.
“I took advantage of the boom in this sector, and was in a position to choose. I have a good 11 to 12 productive years left,” he says.
Persons above 60 comprise 7.5% of our population — a little over 7 crore — according to the 2001 census. Sociologists say, with increase in longevity, mental and physical alertness and dissolution of the joint family system, more 60-plus people are back in the workforce.
A study published in the October 2009 issue of the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, brought out by the American Psychological Association, corroborates this.
Older people who hold temporary or part-time jobs after retirement have been found to enjoy better physical and mental health than those who stop working.
“With children away from home, as a result of the nuclear family phenomenon and migration, it becomes difficult to live alone without something to keep them busy.
For many, working post-retirement is the only way to keep in touch with society,” says Dr Parasuraman, director, Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
BPOs and KPOs in the non-voice sectors have been actively pursuing retirees for their stability, considering attrition is an ongoing issue. “This is also true for industry verticals like aviation, hospitality and retail. If someone has something unique to offer, it will be lapped up,” says Mr Suresh.
As far as the professionals are concerned, while a good opening is a draw, monetary considerations are equally important, with senior citizens belonging to an age when salaries were not at the dizzying levels they are currently at. “Teaching as a career didn’t leave me with savings, though the Sixth Pay Commission is a blessing,” says Ms Datta.
Most elderly people also have a more actualised intent in getting back to work. Post-retirement, they can do just what they want to, rather than be dictated by societal pressures and personal ambition.
However, entering the workforce is no cakewalk, with India’s young people hogging all the jobs. With globalisation and liberalisation, many MNCs have entered India.
For them, India’s young population and the thriving consumer market, again led by the young, make the country an attractive destination, says Krish Lakshikanth of Head Hunters.
“Corporate India is keen on the younger lot. They want people at senior levels to be around 42-47 years of age, at most 50,” he adds.
However, there is one thing the younger generation does not come with. “The new generation is techno savvy and ambitious but the wisdom that comes with experience cannot be replaced.
Just that one needs to make some adjustments post-retirement and make sure one’s body supports one’s spirits,” says Nandini Sardesai, former head of the sociology department at St Xaviers College, Mumbai.
Even with health issues, seniors prefer to keep going. “One has to come to terms with retirement and take it as a lesson in coping with changes,” says Ms Datta.
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