Some executives dreaming of their golden years are unsure when those years will actually start.
Nearly four in 10 (38%) chief financial officers (CFOs) interviewed for a survey by global job search firm Robert Half Management Resources said they had to change their plans from five years ago or are more uncertain about when they will retire.
The survey was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on interviews with more than 270 CFOs across Canada.
CFOs were asked, “How, if at all, have your retirement plans changed in the last five years?”
Their responses:
- Retirement plans have not changed, 51%
- I have more uncertainty and cannot predict when I will retire, 14%
- I plan to spend more time working than I did five years ago, 16%
- I plan to spend fewer years working than I had intended five years ago, 8%
- Don’t know/no answer, 11%
“Economic factors and personal demands have caused many executives to re-evaluate their plans for retirement,” said David King, Canadian district president of Robert Half Management Resources. “Organizations can accommodate tenured employees who wish to retire and retain their legacy experience by increasing succession planning efforts and offering interim or consulting opportunities. These options can help transfer knowledge from departing executives to future company leaders.”
The national study is based on more than 270 telephone interviews with CFOs from a random sample of Canadian companies with 20 or more employees. For the study to be statistically representative and ensure that companies from all segments are represented, the sample was stratified by industry and number of employees. The results were then weighted to reflect the proper proportion of employees within each industry.