They’re back! ‘Unretirements’ continue to rise as more workers return

Many retirees who left their jobs during COVID-19 are re-entering the workforce, according to new research by Joblist. The study estimated 2.4 million people were forced to retire prematurely during the pandemic, but “unretirements” are on the rise and have reached above average pre-pandemic levels, the study said.

Despite widespread concerns about inflation, interest rates and a possible recession among all job seekers, only 27% of unretirees cited financial concerns as a reason for their return to the workforce. Instead, the majority (60%) said they are simply looking for something to do. For those for whom financial concerns are their motivation, 21% pointed to inflation and 5% mentioned worries about stock market performance.

Retired job seekers were generally enthusiastic about working again, with 52% describing themselves as happy and 42% saying they were excited. Only 20% said they were nervous, 5% stressed and 4% frustrated.