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CMI response to rise in retirement age

Submitted by Mike Petrook on Thu, 24/06/2010 - 10:33

Ruth Spellman, chief executive of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) has welcomed news that the Government plans to raise the retirement age and calls for an end to the default retirement age.  She comments:

 

“Forcing people to retire just because of a date stamp on their birth certificate is ridiculous.  With 70 per cent of the 2016 working population already in jobs, the idea the idea that many will have no choice but to retire strikes fear into the hearts of businesses and employees alike.  


“Right now organisations are clinging to the talent they hope will help them ride out a turbulent economy, so why should businesses have the added risk of losing the experience and know-how that their staff build up over time?  People still pay to hear Tina Turner and Rod Stewart perform, even though they're over 65, so why shouldn't the same be said in other business sectors?


And, if life begins at 40, why should it only last 25 years!  With medical advances it is short-sighted to argue that cognitive and physical abilities suddenly switch off.  Many people want to carry on working, albeit at their own pace.  Having a default retirement age goes against this and takes away the freedom that should be a working right.”

 

- Ends -

Further information:

Faith Riding/Donna White

Telephone: 020 7612 8865/020 7612 8847

Email: faith.riding@kindredagency.com / donna.white@kindredagency.com 

 

NOTES TO EDITORS

  • The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) is the only chartered professional body in the UK dedicated to promoting the highest standards of management and leadership excellence.  CMI is the guardian of the National Occupational Standards for Management and Leadership and sets the standards that others follow
  • As a membership organisation, CMI has been providing forward-thinking advice and support to individuals and businesses, for more than 50 years, and continues to give managers and leaders, and the organisations they work in, the tools they need to improve their performance and make an impact
  •  As the only organisation to offer qualifications from Level 2 (GCSE) to Level 9 (PhD), CMI is committed to equipping individuals with the skills and knowledge to be exceptional managers and leaders.  Qualifications and accreditations such as Chartered Manager, combined with products such as CMI’s Continuous Professional Development scheme and the online support resource, ManagementDirect, support the development of management and leadership excellence across the UK
  • Through in-depth research and policy surveys of its 81,000 individual and 450 corporate members, CMI maintains its position as the premier authority on key management and leadership issues

Comments

Submitted by Mike Davies on Fri, 25/06/2010 - 13:58

I agree, but my gripe is that this hasn't gone far enough.  Medical science is advancing so fast these days that the retirement age should easily be in excess of 70 by now, especially as the majority of jobs are no longer manual labour.

Submitted by Nicola Worsley on Thu, 08/07/2010 - 07:56

I agree with Mike.  This needs to go much further than adding a few years.  The demographic timebomb has been ticking for long enough.  We always bang on about living for our children, but it's them that will be paying for these plush pensions so we should think about them and extend retirement age considerably.