Baguio Central University Retirees: Their Journey after Retirement

This study ventured into the Baguio Central University retirees and their journey after retirement. Specifically, it sought to answer the following queries: their insights for working beyond the retirement age; the challenges they encountered in going back to work after retirement; the coping strategies they employ to mitigate the impact of the challenges they encounter in going back to work after retirement; the advice on retirement they could give to employees. The research design employed was Qualitative Research using the Interview Method. The target informants of this study were the retirees from 2019 to 2022 expecting 10 retirees which were chosen through convenience sampling. However, only seven (7) retirees were available, accessible and willing as participants in this study. An in-person or a face-to-face interview using a semi-structured interview guide questions was conducted to elicit the needed data from the informants for analysis. The study reveals the following findings: 1) Majority of the participants anticipated and expected their retirement; 2) The participants felt mixed emotions while waiting for the day of their retirement: worry, excitement, regret; 3) Since they anticipated their retirement, the participants prepared themselves financially, emotionally, physically and emotionally while others thought of other recourse in case they are not rehired; 4) The participants had varied reasons of going back to work after retirement: personal, professional, financial; 5) The participants consulted their families in their decision of going back to work after retirement in recognition of the importance and role of family in making crucial decision; 6) The participants expressed their gratitude, happiness and satisfaction when they were rehired; however, they found a big disparity in terms of reduced compensation and benefits which they used to enjoy as regular employees; 7) Majority of the participants accepted that they encountered challenges in going back to work after retirement: physical, economic and emotional but the coping mechanisms they employed somehow mitigated the impact of these challenges in the workplace; 8) Majority of the participants manifested their desire to continue working after being rehired although some were contemplating other plans like engaging in some income-generating activity, go on travel, rest and recreation, attend to family concerns neglected due to full time work; and 9) The participants advised the future retirees to prepare themselves physically, emotionally and financially while waiting for their retirement.