Keep calm... and carry on working


The abolition of the default retirement age brings to an end the expectation that staff will have departed by the age of 65. This can leave employers with problems over succession planning, unless an open dialogue is established with older workers, says David Regan


T National Express East Anglia technician Robert


Barnes retires at 68. His departure was marked by a surprise train naming ceremony


PAGE 30 DECEMBER 2011


he rail industry has seen the retirement of several high-profile senior managers over the last year – Keith Ludeman, Ian Brown, Moir Lockhead to name a few – all


of whom retired in their early 60s. However, it is not unusual for staff working closer to the chalkface to continue working past the usual retirement age. Though most are happy to take their pension and give up work somewhere between the ages of 60 and 65, it is not unheard of for station or depot-based staff to enjoy their work so much that they continue working into their late 60s or 70s, albeit usually in a part-time capacity. Until now, keeping workers on the pay


roll post-65 has been at the discretion of the employer, but that has just changed. The default retirement age was abolished on 1 October. Many employers are concerned that the


change in law means that they will be stuck with staff members who cannot perform and


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