CHICAGO — Less pay, fewer benefits, lower prestige — and greater job satisfaction.
Older workers and retirees moving into different lines of work can take heart from a new study that finds they are likely to enjoy their new jobs more than their old ones.
In an era when pink slips are increasing and some career paths may be cut short because of the economy, all too many job switches may be forced rather than voluntary for the foreseeable future.
Despite the shortcomings, however, there’s new evidence which suggests that career changes work out well for the overwhelming majority of older workers because of reduced stress and flexible work schedules.
AARP followed over-50 workers for more than a decade to study career changes and find out how they fared. In all, 91 percent of the study group said they enjoyed their new jobs, a significant bump up from a 79 percent thumbs-up for their old jobs.
A report was released last week on the study, based on 1,705 workers nationwide who were surveyed over a 14-year period beginning in 1992. The study was conducted for the AARP Public Policy Institute by The Urban Institute of Washington.
"The current downturn presents a real bump in the road,” said Susan Reinhard, senior vice president of the AARP Public Policy Institute. "But for the future, the findings are a welcome signal that workers 50 and over can really enjoy themselves while remaining productive in a vibrant economy.”
Already common, career change among older workers is likely to grow even more as the baby-boom generation nears traditional retirement age.
by the associated press
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