What Retirees Want

4Putting Wisdom to Work: The New Role, Timing, and Purpose of Post-Retirement Employment

THE AEROSPACE CORPORATION has provided independent technical and scientific research, development, and advisory services to national security space (NSS) programs since 1960. Its workforce consists largely of highly qualified and experienced engineers, and its staffing needs vary significantly with the current contracts. The company's “Retiree Casual” program, established in 1985, brings retirees back to work part time. Employees can retire with full benefits as early as age 55, and after a gap of six months or more, return to work on a project basis for up to 500 hours per year. Most participants are engineers, but the program is open to all employees and includes contract managers and administrative assistants. In addition to their main roles, retiree casuals often serve as mentors, training program instructors, and recruiters.

For Aerospace retirees, the Retiree Casual program keeps former employees connected to their professions and their colleagues. For the company, the benefits are many. Phil Mathews, Principal Director for Talent Acquisition, states, “We are rehiring technical experts who understand our mission and are passionate to be able to continue to support it. The program also affords great mentor and knowledge sharing opportunities. We are proud to support this wonderful program.”

Scripps Health, founded in 1924, is a not-for-profit, integrated health care system in San Diego, ...