Illustration by Melanie Lambrick
Linda Lawrence’s last day of work came sooner than she expected.
The former marketing and communications professional planned to retire in June, but her role was suddenly eliminated last year when her employer was purchased by investors in the United States. She found out on an online call.
After briefly considering finding a new job, Ms. Lawrence decided to retire early.
Months later, the B.C. resident, now 60, says she has struggled with reconciling how her 30-year career ended with zero fanfare. She had long looked forward to celebrating her retirement in the company of loved ones and colleagues like her parents had, but that didn’t happen.
“I couldn’t wrap my head around it,” she says. “I felt cheated.”
Ms. Lawrence isn’t the only retiree left feeling that way. While a workplace retirement party was once seen as a rite of passage marking the end of one’s career and the start of a new chapter, many departing employees are leaving without sheet cakes and novelty-sized farewell cards – and with a lack of closure.
Marilyn Hintsa, a retirement coach and founder of Next Chapter Dialogues, an online group coaching program for retirees, says that while retirement send-offs have long been ways for employers to show appreciation for employees, the tradition appears to be waning.
“People retiring now have lower expectations about what happens when they retire. I think it’s unfortunate that it’s happening, especially if you put in a lot of years with that employer,” she says.
Retirement represents a major life milestone, but those who leave without much recognition can struggle with making that transition, Ms. Hintsa says.
“If Wednesday is your last day at work, Thursday is your first day of retirement, and there’s not some line that’s drawn between that, the first day will be tough,” she says.
Changing norms surrounding retirement send-offs are partly a result of shorter average job tenures, as well as the rise in remote and hybrid work arrangements. There’s also the impact of shrinking company budgets, which discourage organizations from hosting parties or purchasing retirement gifts, often putting the onus on employees to do so.
Nancy Heath, a professor at McGill University, says she saw the retirement traditions change significantly over her 25 years in her department. While retirements were routinely celebrated throughout the 1990s, she saw that dwindle following budget cuts in the mid-2000s.
Employees themselves had to pitch in for their colleagues’ send-offs. That changed when Ms. Heath decided to take matters into her own hands after becoming acting chair of the department during the pandemic.
“For $50, I realized I could put together a booklet to be printed and have everyone write something special, such as a memory,” she says. “That’s all someone wants, to know they made a difference.”
Ms. Heath is now organizing her own retirement party with close friends and colleagues in May. While at first she was unsure about whether to do it, she fears she would regret it otherwise.
“As I get closer to the party, I keep thinking I should’ve just walked away,” she says. “But I think what I’m hoping is to hear from people that I’ve made some difference. Otherwise, when in our life do we hear it?”
Ms. Hintsa says employers can celebrate new retirees without a large budget. She suggests taking a personal approach – for example, writing a personalized e-mail announcement thanking them for their service or creating a memory board reflecting their positive experiences over the years.
This not only shows respect toward retirees but sends an important message to remaining staff, she says.
“Smart organizations recognize that when you acknowledge people and do the respectful thing, other people see that as a positive thing, and it reinforces that if you stick around, you’re valued,” Ms. Hinsta says.
While Ms. Lawrence has yet to celebrate her retirement, she hopes to do so by visiting Vancouver Island soon.
Over her years of working across various sectors, she saw little effort from employers when it came to retirement send-offs. But she believes that organizations should play a role in recognizing retirees’ contributions and wishing them well in their new chapter.
After all, she says, “What does it cost to send an e-mail?”