Sunday, June 26, 2022
  • About Us
  • ImagiNATION
  • Adverts
  • Rate Card
  • Contact Us
The Nation Online
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Columns My Turn

Framework for engaging retired experts

by David Mkwambisi
11/01/2021
in My Turn
4 min read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on WhatsAppShare on LinkedinLinkedinShare via Email

C

asual discussions have revealed that Malawi is not fully utilising experts that have retired from different sectors of the economy. While several countries have proper frameworks and programmes to engage the retired experts, there is no proper engagement model at any level that is fully utilising the retirees.

In this article, I will (i) provide the lost opportunity that the country is facing due to lack of engagement with these experts (ii) unveil some of the challenges faced by the group and then (iii) propose a framework that can be tested to fully engage the retirees.

Firstly, retired people have various skills that can be utilised to support development initiatives at all levels. These people can contribute towards education quality, address water and sanitation challenges, and construction challenges.

They can be fully engaged to design community transformation programmes and they can be engaged to support delivery of district development plans. These can be advisers to our ministers, members of Parliament and even ward councillors.

I have personally observed that most of the officers holding positions rarely consult and learn from retired people. Most small and medium enterprises in the country are struggling and yet we have been manufacturing retired experts that are not being fully engaged.

Because there is no proper framework to handle the transition and then actual retirement, many retirees have several physical and psychological fears that affect their normal lives.

John Osborne from the University of Alberta in Canada noted that without a proper transition to retirement, there is psychological disengagement from a work-life and transition to retirement.

In the paper, he pointed out that these effects include partial identity disruption, decision paralysis, diminished self-trust, the experience of a post-retirement void and the search for meaningful engagement in society. Others include the development of a retirement/life structure, the confluence of ageing and retirement, death anxiety, the critical nurturing of social relationships and self-actualisation.

While these are mostly observed in developed countries, locally we have witnessed several implications of not engaging retirees, including early deaths, loneliness and fragile health status. Some retired experts have resorted to heavy drinking, leading to financial challenges and destitution. In some cases, couples have to separate as one partner continues to work.

The other challenge is that most of the retired experts tend to remain in cities where social capital is minimal and they are left with no proper relationships or social networks to maintain due to the dynamics of urban life. In such cases, many retirees fail to optimise proper life satisfaction and easily go into depression. There are times when retirees have to move to unfamiliar locations. The absence of old friends and former social networks has social and psychological implications that we have not paid much attention to.

In this case, there is need to have a proper engagement framework that will not only support a healthy life to our seniors, but will also contribute to our own development goals. 

First and foremost, as a country, we need to have in place a ministry, department or an agency that will have specific roles to handle retired people at all levels. This unit will develop a proper ‘retirement transition plan’ as proposed by Christina Victor in 1994. This plan should be able to address challenges faced by those that are about to retire, including euphoria, stress, dealing with adjustments to a new lifestyle and settling down. Training and awareness programmes can be developed to handle this stage.

Secondly, we need to have a proper profile database for all retired experts that can be managed at the district or community level. Thirdly, we need to have a detailed skills gap analysis, especially at the community level. This can be complemented by the demand for specialised skills from local leaders.

Then, we need to design community level development programmes with clear vision and roadmap that can be facilitated by retirees. Stage five could involve a call for expression of interest from retirees to support some development initiatives.

Stage six will allow identifying advisors that will work with retirees during the implementations.

Then finally, we need to have a clear monitoring framework as well as a package for incentives to support the retirees that are supporting these development initiatives.

Previous Post

Thirsty for change

Next Post

NGO donates 3 vehicles to Zomba District Council

Related Posts

My Turn

On youth policy review

June 24, 2022
My Turn

Chakwera rule in 10 points

June 22, 2022
My Turn

High hopes, little to show

June 17, 2022
Next Post

NGO donates 3 vehicles to Zomba District Council

Opinions and Columns

People’s Tribunal

Two years later and we are still singing same song

June 26, 2022
Big Man Wamkulu

Wife’s relatives have taken over my house

June 26, 2022
My Thought

Stop cyber harassment

June 26, 2022
Candid Talk

Baby gender preference and disappointments

June 26, 2022

Malawi-Music.com Top10

Trending Stories

  • Chilima addresses UTM Party sympathises at his residence

    Tonse partners feel sidelined

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Mixed views on SKC ouster

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Govt says HRDC rating unfair

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Ex-soldiers threaten vigil at Capital Hill

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Zambia is home for Kulamba —Lukwa

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

  • Values
  • Our Philosophy
  • Editorial policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism disclaimer
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use

© 2022 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
    • Every Woman
      • Soul
      • Family
    • Religion
    • Feature
  • Society
  • Columns
  • Sports
  • Chichewa
  • Enation

© 2020 Nation Publications Limited. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.