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Join this month for the chance to win an iPad. Learn more
Attend a free online retirement planning workshop. Register
For three years, RTOERO’s Future Retirees Survey respondents have shared that they are considering early retirement, yet they are not ready to stop working. More than half of 2025 respondents say they plan to continue working in retirement, and navigating a career transition ranks high on the list of professional development topics of interest.
“As people live longer and population trends shift, many older workers are choosing—or needing—to stay in the workforce beyond the traditional retirement age,” says John Cappelletti, chair of RTOERO. “For education organizations facing staffing challenges, this presents an opportunity. Recognizing the value of experienced workers, considering their needs, and fostering multigenerational workplaces can strengthen the sector.”
The survey was sent to education sector workers across Canada who subscribe to RTOERO’s email list. Of the 1084 respondents, 49% are classroom teachers, and 23% are school or school board administrators. Most live in Ontario.
Other respondents were from early years, public service and non-profit associations.
More than half of survey respondents indicated their intention to stay engaged in work during retirement. This decision offers several advantages, such as maintaining social connections, using and developing skills, and enhancing financial stability.
“Many RTOERO members are working in some way after retiring from their career in education,” says Jim Grieve, CEO of RTOERO. “Some have stayed in education, but others venture into new areas. This can be a win-win-win—for individuals, workplaces and society overall. But we don’t want to see people feeling like they have to work, especially in jobs that impact well-being and shave years off of lifespan, because they can’t survive without the income. That’s why income security for older adults is among our advocacy issues.”
We asked respondents to what extent they agreed or disagreed with the statement, “I plan to continue to work full-time or part-time in retirement.”
“I’m not ruling anything out yet, but full-time work is not appealing at all.”
“I’d like to work part-time, especially as a transition from full-time for 50 years to full-time retirement. I think it would make it easier to adjust if I go from full-time to part-time to retirement.“
“I plan to continue contributing, would be a better way to put it, or perhaps working on my own terms with a reduced load.”
Even though work is on the horizon for many future retirees, it’s not necessarily in their current roles. We ask respondents about which factors are influencing their timing of retirement.
About one-third of respondents are considering or have decided to retire sooner than planned; the top two factors for retiring sooner were working conditions and health/mental health.
Just over a quarter of respondents are considering or have decided to delay their retirement. The top reason for delaying retirement was economy/inflation.
Retirement offers an opportunity to explore new activities and experiences. When asked to share one word or phrase that comes to mind when they think of retirement, respondents overwhelmingly associated it with “freedom”.
When it comes to preparing for retirement, some prefer careful planning and certainty, while others lean towards spontaneity and impulsivity. We asked which approach resonates most with our respondents.
“I’m afraid I’ll be bored. I need to start making plans!”
“I am looking forward to embarking on a new adventure to develop aspects of myself and have new experiences that I have had to put on hold while working.”
“I love my job but dislike the politics of it.”
Financial planning is typically what comes to mind when people think about retirement planning. And while it’s just one part of retirement planning, there’s no denying its importance. However, it’s also crucial to recognize the significance of emotional preparation for retirement, as adjusting to this new phase of life can be just as impactful as financial readiness.
Almost a quarter of respondents reported experiencing ageism in the workplace. Ageism refers to stereotypes (thoughts), prejudice (feelings), or discrimination (actions) based on a person’s age. Ageism in the workplace can include institutional ageism, which refers to policies, practices, social norms, and other systemic structures that restrict opportunities or disadvantage people based on age. It can also include interpersonal ageism, which happens in relationships between groups of two or more people, such as a staff.
According to Amanda Bull, a former RTOERO Summer Scholar, who is studying workplace ageism, ageism in the workplace can be tricky to navigate. “Ageism in the workplace, and ageism in general, is often implicit,” Bull explains in a recent article in Renaissance magazine. “So when you ask someone, ‘Did you approach a manager about it or tell someone about it?’ people often respond with, ‘Well, no, because it’s hard to prove’ or ‘I felt it, but I couldn’t really demonstrate it with hard facts and evidence.’”
We asked respondents to what extent they agreed or disagreed with the statement, “I have experienced ageism in the workplace.”
“There’s an unspoken culture for advancement that means you hit the ceiling at some point as you get older. You’re still valued but there’s no encouragement to look to positions of higher responsibility.”
“I was by far the most qualified for a role at the board office, and everyone thought I would get it since I had done it temporarily, but I didn’t.”
“New practices have made me feel this way however I fundamentally disagree with these ideas.”
Workers nearing retirement continue to be interested in learning opportunities. Their topics of interest align with the survey findings that many respondents plan to work in retirement – and that their well-being at work is a factor in their retirement planning.
Some of our members are contract or casual employees in education and don’t have insurance coverage through work. Or their employment may end before their retirement date because of layoffs. You are eligible to join our group insurance program.
RTOERO is a bilingual trusted voice on healthy, active living in the retirement journey for the broader education community. With 86,000+ members in 51 districts across Canada, we are the largest national provider of non-profit group health benefits for education workers and retirees. We welcome members who work in or are retired from the early years, schools and school boards, post-secondary and any other capacity in education, and their immediate family members. We believe in a better future, together!
Your membership is free until you retire and when you join our Entente Group Insurance Program. Sign up today.
