Retirement is portrayed as the end goal, the well-earned rest, the release from decades of structure, pressure, and early mornings. But that tidy equation doesn’t fit everyone.

For some, the prospect of stopping work brings not relief, but restlessness. They have no fear of slowing down, just a sense that stopping cold would mean leaving unfinished business on the table.

A recent post from an HR Director in my LinkedIn network highlighted this very well:

“But I don’t want to retire…. my father says this often. Now in his 70s, he’s still working, still curious, still driven, still absorbed in what he does. He’s not working from necessity. He enjoys the mental engagement, the routine, the sense of being relevant. He feels no inner deadline to stop. And from what I’ve seen, he’s nowhere near alone in that mindset.”

We’re often taught to view retirement as a reward. But for many people reaching their 60s and beyond, it doesn’t always feel that way. Some feel pushed into retirement too early. Others, seeing a longer lifespan and healthier ageing, are choosing a different path: switching careers, picking up something entirely new, or shaping work around their own terms. Not for the money, but because working brings meaning, engagement and identity.

The Growing Trend Toward ‘Unretirement’

We are, undeniably, living longer. And we’re carrying more vitality into later stages of life than previous generations. According to some recent research, almost 40% of UK employers are seeing their staff work longer and retire later than they did ten years ago. They have also reported seeing more workers “unretire”, returning to work after officially retiring.

But despite this shift, more than half of employers report feeling uncertain about how – or even if – they should adapt to this change. That presents a problem. Because if we are serious about inclusion, age must become part of the workplace conversation in a meaningful way; not just as a statistic, but as a signal that older workers deserve more than a quiet goodbye.

This isn’t about pushing people to work longer than they want to. It’s about choice. And some people, at 60 or 70, are choosing a new beginning over the supposed finish line.

Why Start a New Career at 60?

There are people who reach their 60s not burned out, but finally free. Perhaps they’ve left behind a high-pressure role or taken early retirement from a long-standing position. With financial pressures eased and children grown, it’s often the first real moment in decades when they’re able to ask, “What do I want to do?”

For some, the answer lies in retraining in a field they’ve always admired from afar; psychology, landscape gardening, counselling, art. For others, it might be stepping into a cause they care about and bringing their experience into the charity, education or voluntary sectors. Many launch their own businesses, especially service-based ones shaped around their values and skills.

Work provides more than income. It offers purpose, rhythm and connection, all of which play a huge role in long-term wellbeing.

Rethinking What Retirement Really Means

My own family has felt the impact of a rigid view of retirement. My dad experienced a sudden, complete stop in his working life at age 60; no bridge, no gradual shift, just one day working, the next day not. He had no clear plan for his retirement.

Just two months after he retired, he dropped down dead one morning after walking to the local shops for some groceries.

I sometimes wonder if the sudden lack of structure and work adrenaline played a part in his unexpected death. There was no gradual adaptation, no opportunity to sculpt a new sense of identity. We focus so much on the financial aspects of retirement – pension pots, spending projections, lifetime income needs – but give so little attention to the emotional and psychological shift it requires.

Retirement isn’t just about money. It’s about identity and how you spend your time, invest in relationships, and continue to grow. Those non-financial aspects often get sidelined in planning, but they’re just as vital.

Meaning, Structure and Purpose

One of the biggest concerns for people stepping away from full-time work is the loss of daily structure. The calendar empties far more quickly than anyone expects. Without it, there’s a risk of slipping into disconnection. What was once a demanding, high-stakes job instead becomes long days of ambiguous time. Especially for people who found purpose in their careers, that shift in identity can feel devastating if not planned for.

This has been termed “retirement shock”, a phenomenon where the psychological effects of leaving meaningful work create stress, uncertainty and loss. For some, particularly men from leadership backgrounds, the feeling of adrift can arrive quicker than expected.

Starting a new career at 60 or shaping your retirement around meaningful work can offer a strong counterbalance. It doesn’t have to be highly paid or full-time. It simply needs to feel engaging. Some find fulfilment in mentoring, freelancing, or shifting into advisory roles. Others become entrepreneurs, consultants or creatives.

How Employers Can Support a Changing Workforce

An ageing workforce is one of the less talked-about pieces of the inclusion conversation but it’s becoming increasingly important. The average UK retirement age has risen to over 65, up from around 61 just two decades ago.

This isn’t simply about financial need. Many older workers want or choose to remain working, but in forms that better suit their needs.

Organisations can support this preference for flexibility and purpose by creating a workplace culture that sees value in every stage of life:

Challenging assumptions in recruitment:  Eliminate age-related bias by reviewing job descriptions, questioning outdated language and addressing internal perceptions. Age diversity brings depth of experience that benefits both teams and outcomes.

Encouraging mixed-age teams: Create deliberate opportunities for cross-generational collaboration. When teams include a range of ages, they gain from shared knowledge, different perspectives and richer learning.

Adapting wellbeing support for later life: Acknowledge that physical and mental needs evolve over time. Flexible working arrangements, health support and realistic performance expectations can play a vital part in helping people continue contributing in a way that suits them.

Rethinking progression paths: Introduce more flexible career options such as phased retirement, part-time positions, project-based roles or structured mentoring opportunities. These can enable experienced workers to maintain involvement without the intensity of a full-time role.  

Providing A More Balanced Retirement Readiness Programme: Instead of offering only financial planning support for retirement, also providing support and challenge on the non-financial aspects of retirement can help pre-retirees make the right decisions on their own preferred retirement vision.

Designing learning opportunities for all ages: Ensure access to training and development doesn’t taper off with age. Digital literacy, skill refreshers and new learning should be available to everyone, encouraging confidence and adaptability across the workforce.                                                                                                                              

Reimagining Retirement as Revivement

For those deciding to shift careers rather than exit entirely, the question isn’t “Why aren’t you retiring?” but “What excites you now?” At 60, you know yourself far better than you did at 25. You’ve weathered industry changes, team dynamics, successes and setbacks. That’s not something to file away. There’s every reason to believe that your best, most fulfilling work might be ahead, not behind you.

Training programmes like those offered through the National Careers Service or The Open University are increasingly aimed at adult learners. Even apprenticeships are becoming more age-open, as skill shortages meet rising demand for mature talent. With life expectancy increasing, a new career at 60 could realistically span 15 to 20 more years, plenty of time to build a meaningful second act.

A Personal Choice Worth Planning For

Every individual’s relationship with work and with retirement is different. Some crave the pause and are ready to embrace slower mornings, new hobbies, and long holidays. Others find freedom in change and want to craft a new chapter that continues to include professional life.

What’s important is that we expand our collective vision of what retirement can look like. It doesn’t need to mean an end. For many, it is simply a shift. More flexible. More autonomous. Sometimes, even more rewarding.

So, if you’re approaching 60 and don’t feel ready to stop, that’s not a failure to retire. It might be the start of something that finally feels like your own.

Have you considered the non-financial side of retirement?  What would your ideal post-60 career look like, if money weren’t the deciding factor?