As he approaches 90, Al Faber often works 50-hour weeks. But he’s not doing it for the money.
“I’m 87 going on 67,” said Faber, who hopes to work into his 90s. “Being a resource for as many people as you can be a resource for, including family and friends, is why I work.”
Faber is one of dozens of Americans in their 80s who told Business Insider that they’re working past retirement age for fulfillment and social connections — not because they need the money. Some of the people BI spoke with said they’re still running companies they created decades ago, while others remain at a business or in an industry they love. The money they make has contributed to vacations or emergency medical expenses — but isn’t the driving force keeping them employed.
Workers in their 80s and 90s represent a sliver of the US workforce, but their numbers have grown in recent years. Americans in their 80s and 90s account for about one in 1,000 of all US workers, per an analysis by the small business payroll and HR platform Gusto. The analysis was based on payroll records from over 400,000 small business customers.
However, the number of workers ages 80 and older has increased by 24% between January 2022 and February of this year. In comparison, total employment grew about 4% in that same time period.
Nich Tremper, a senior economist at Gusto, said this growth has likely been driven by two factors: People are living longer and the cost of living has risen in recent years.
“Things are still really expensive for folks who have retired,” he said. “They might be considering going back into the workforce to start earning a little bit of extra money.”
While the older Americans BI spoke to don’t fall into this category, many people work past the retirement age of 66 or 67 due to financial reasons. Some previously told BI that a health scare or job loss ate into the savings that they hoped would carry them through retirement — and that their Social Security checks aren’t enough to live on.
Tremper said workers 80 and older are most likely employed in education and health services. He added that the most employment growth since 2022 in this 80s and older cohort has come in retail and wholesale trade, where he thinks many people have found part-time work. Additionally, 85% of workers over the age of 80 were employed part-time, per Gusto.
Finding joy through the social connections of work
Faber, who lives in the Boston area, said that every day brings new conversations and lessons that improve his quality of life.
For most of his career, Faber worked in public accounting and held management positions in development counseling. In his 70s, Faber founded the consulting organization Alan Faber Growth Strategies and still runs it but works shorter hours these days.
Faber said he values meeting people face-to-face and remains physically strong by lifting weights and running. Some days are longer and more stressful than others, but Faber said regular interactions keep him fresh.
“If it was strictly for money, I wouldn’t be doing a lot of the pro bono work,” Faber said. “I see people who are 60 and 70 walking around like they’re 10 years older than me not doing anything, not interacting with people, and it’s sad.”
Helping people is one of the main reasons Charles Mango is still working. He’s been a retinal specialist for 53 years and works five days a week.
“I could retire tomorrow if I wanted to,” said the 82-year-old, who’s based in Syracuse, New York. “I don’t really have to work.”
Mango said he continues to work because it keeps him busy and he loves his job — in particular, talking with and caring for patients. He’s cut back on performing major surgeries in hospitals since the pandemic but will do minor surgeries in his office.
“As long as my health allows, I’m going to continue,” he said. “I have no reason to stop.”
Passion for a business can make it difficult to stop working
Andrea Hutchinson doesn’t want to stop working at the restaurant where she’s devoted the last 40 years of her career.
The 82-year-old works about five hours a day, twice a week, as a director of operations at Pierce’s Pitt Bar-B-Que in Williamsburg, Virginia. She’s held different roles at the restaurant and said she’s seen it go through ups and downs. But her commitment to its success has, at times, been an “obsession.”
“The friendships, the activity, keeping myself busy, also the pride I have in what we have been able to do,” she said. “That’s a lot to give up.”
Hutchinson said if her restaurant job ended, she doubts she’d look for work elsewhere.
“If you have someplace you can go where you feel needed and people listen to you, it’s wonderful,” she said.
Jay Crisford, 83, is also deeply invested in a business — one he started in 1993. Crisford, who’s based in the Dallas area, continues to run Front Desk Office Furniture, an eight-person company that sells new and used furniture for professional settings.
He said he’s gearing up for a “pre-retirement,” which would mean fewer hours at work and more leisure time, but doesn’t think he’ll ever stop working.
When people tell him he should retire, Crisford replies, “I’m retired on the weekends.” Crisford said he works to remain social and continue hitting professional and personal goals. He added that he has too many connections and deep knowledge of the industry to call it quits.
“I don’t know what age has to do with retirement, and I think there’s a lot of people who shouldn’t be working if they don’t enjoy it,” he said.
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