Run Up To Retirement

Some years ago the Gujarat Refinery of the Indian Oil Corporation organised a programme for its senior executives due to retire in a few years at its training centre at Baroda. It was devised in consultation with HelpAge India which had chalked out its content and enlisted panelists from the field of health, yoga, social sciences, nutrition, investment planning and tax planning.

The strengths of charity and hospitality are inextricably interlinked with a corporate's requirements, increasingly reflecting its need to portray a do-gooder image, says Maj Gen (Retd) R S Pannu, director general, HelpAge India. And as charity should begin at home, what could be a better way to illustrate the goodwill of employers than by showing concern for staff even when they are no longer result-bound. The accent therefore is on providing a happier alternative to the retiree's prospect of a life with diminished status, creativity and finance.

Myopic view: Says Maj Gen Pannu, The problem of facing retirement with a negative attitude arises because of the myopic view with which we deal with it. The first tingling of what will happen as we approach our 60s should occur when we embark on a career. Fifteen years later one should take stock of where one has reached and apply corrective measures wherever possible. Mentally prepare for retirement at least eight years prior to it while active full-blooded planning becomes essential at least three years before you retire.

Converts to this strategy may be companies eager to send their employees for programmes such as the above which were conducted by HelpAge whose panel included members of social work and health institutes and universities. Through group discussions the panelists delved into the physical, psychological, spiritual, legal and financial aspects of post-retirement life and the first programme was followed by a second the next year for 17 senior executives at the Indian Oil Management Academy, Haldia, West Bengal.

HelpAge India lays emphasis on couples attending the sessions together as a single retirement affects both partners. Quips Maj Gen Pannu, They would never listen to the advice given by the other half. One can also access panelists for specific needs with private consultancy extending beyond the programme if required.

With the help of a questionnaire filled out by the participants in advance, areas of interest are determined and a panel formed to correspond with it. Indifferent orations are completely meaningless, he says.

Package price: The price of such a package varies with the needs of the particpants and differs from corporation to corporation. HelpAge, however, conducts these programmes as part of fund-raising and the cost depends on the the ability of a company to support HelpAge. Its spokesperson estimates that such a programme by others on a commercial scale would cost at least Rs 5,000 for a couple if conducted in an office.

Most of the participants in the Indian Oil team although interested, still felt that the bridge was still too far to worry about crossing it. This contrasts sharply with the attitude in developed countries of the West where strong social security measures already exist as do concepts such as pre-retirement training programmes.

But Maj Gen Pannu is sure that a demand for such programmes exists and is compiling material which by the end of 1997 could be used by the corporate, public, voluntary and even unorganised sectors. HelpAge has also developed a video film to motivate chief executives into taking the initiative towards this end.

Viable concept?: Programsmes like this act as ambassadors of good-will for an employer. Not only does the employee benefit but so does the employer, says Maj Gen Pannu. Most people never have the time to channelise their thoughts in the direction of planning for retirement. When it hits them, there is apprehension about the future coupled with the task of training someone to take on their responsibilities in the company. As most employers feel that nothing more needs to be done for someone due for retirement, the employees too lack interest in their work and productivity decreases.

A three-four day integrated programme motivates people to prepare for issues such as personal finance, health, shelter, settlement of children, domestic harmony, the development of hobbies and looking for optional/alternative employment. The idea is to