Why ‘micro-retirement' and work-life balance appeal to Gen Z and millennials
Should you wait until retirement to travel the world, train for that half-marathon you've set your sights on or volunteer for a local charity? This clashes with many young people's notion of a healthy work-life balance, leading to a new career trend encouraged by social media: micro-retirement.
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'Micro-retirement is a kind of career break or work hiatus,' says Marlene Pöhlmann, a careers expert for the Germany-based recruitment agency Robert Half.
It is typically taken between jobs, but for several months and not just two or three weeks – time enough to travel, give your family your all, or
take up new hobbies
'Instead of having retirement at the end of their [continuous] working life, employees deliberately insert interruptions,' Pöhlmann says.
Micro-retirement is a kind of career break or work hiatus, says Marlene Pöhlmann, a careers expert for recruitment agency Robert Half. Photo: linkedin.com
This distinguishes it from a sabbatical, in which an employee is granted an extended absence by their employer. They often take a salary cut in that period.
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