This weekend I will be facilitating the second annual Charting Your Path to Retirement workshop for a corporate client. This company is truly one of the best I have worked with because they "love" their employees and have a learning budget that is second to none. They even have their own Foundation at work in threatened environments and communities around the world. It's the kind of culture I would love to be employed in but I have to settle for a few days each year.
They bring in 15 employees over age 50 and their partners from their five offices for a two day event at a very comfortable hotel. My partner Sally Hass and me design the program each year. This time we have nine speakers including several from the States and the furthest coming from Toronto.
I dislike the word retirement because of its traditional connotation. Folks don't retire anymore they re-engineer their personal time. In my opinion the three cornerstones of a successful transition from work to what's next are Money, Medicine (Wellness) and Meaning. Our speakers will address all three. If you get these right the world will be your oyster!
The thing I love about these events is creating the experience. If that is done well everyone goes home happy and feeling it has all been worth their time. It's to our client's credit that they do not skimp on the smaller pieces of the puzzle. The hotel is great, the meals are to die for and the client has great staff people backing us up in the preparation. That leaves my team to perform.
Each speaker is a specialist in their own profession. My personal preference are the wellness and meaning segments. The money is important too because if you run out of money after work it is similiar to running out of money on a cruise ship (before they had ATM's on board) - it's no fun!
In these difficult and uncertain financial times it may be surprising to some that this client continues to deliver (an experience) to their employees who are on the path to spending less time at work. But it is really a credit for years of good work and an investment into the company's future.
The feedback from last year's group was conclusive shown by their enthusiasm during the event and by their evaluations that followed. It was a great experience for all.