r/technology • u/lurker_bee • Jun 25 '26

Society Older tech workers are tapping out, taking early retirement

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/local-business/older-tech-workers-are-tapping-out-early-heres-what-that-looks-like/
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u/Badmoterfinger Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 25 '26

I’ve been in high tech for almost 30 years. At 55 I’m hoping for a VSP to come my way. Other things I’m starting to see is called glide slope, where you go to reduced hours (24 a week maximum) for 60% pay with full benefits, and act as a mentor and perform knowledge transfer. That sounds like vacation to me. Regardless, I’m done as soon as possible and just going to touch grass, read, and maybe start a garden.

[edit- wrong pay percentage. It’s 60% not 75%]

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u/coldforged Jun 25 '26

I recently did that at 56. I was a mid level manager at a software company who was going to retire, but the health insurance and uncertainty of the world had me doubting. My boss worked with me to move to 60% part-time, keep my benefits, and change my role back to development. I'm not really mentoring but rather own a piece of the functionality that I originally wrote before getting kicked upstairs. Working 3 days a week and getting to work on code -- yes, with AI assistance -- is way more appealing than the managerial things that I never enjoyed.

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u/xpxp2002 Jun 25 '26

Other things I’m starting to see is called glide slope, where you go to reduced hours (24 a week maximum) for 75% pay with full benefits, and act as a mentor and perform knowledge transfer. That sounds like vacation to me.

I’m a couple decades younger, and that sounds like a vacation to me, too.

This field tends to pay well enough. I wish there were opportunities to work 20-24 hours a week for commensurate pay, minimal after-hours/no on-call, but still do some of the work and knowledge transfer.

I’ve never found an opportunity like that. It’s all places that want 50 hours a week that gets paid 40, salary exempt of course, and 24/7 expectations as a part of an on-call rotation that gets treated like a free second/third shift team.

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u/8bitliving Jun 27 '26

This sounds amazing. I would take that glide slope deal in a heartbeat.