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Read more Arnab Banerjee

Principal - Thought Leadership &

Advisory Services

Cornerstone OnDemand

How to prepare for a

100-year life

Our life expectancy is increasing, and of the

future generations to enter the labour market,

it is expected that many will be able to

celebrate their 100th birthday. It has been

envisaged that the first person to reach 150

has already been born.

As we begin living longer, the labour market

will change and we will have to reconsider the

ways in which we work and plan our career.

We are used to thinking about our working life

in three stages - education, work/career and

retirement. But as we get older and retire later

both employers and employees must start

thinking differently.

If we continue the traditional three-phase

model, education, career and retirement

during a life that could easily last up to 100

years, then the last two phases will be much

longer. Therefore, we may have to start

thinking in several phases.

New stages of life

What will middle-aged look like if most of us

live to 100? Could it be that many would like

to have a career before they get married and

start a family with a second career later in life?

For some people and in certain industries, the

traditional three-phase model may still make

sense. For others, it would be more beneficial

to re-build the traditional working life.

Stay relevant

Education and learning will be crucial to

staying longer in the labour market. As

technology and methods of working develop

faster and faster, what you learned as a 20-

year-old might not be relevant at the age of

50. If you are not constantly evolving and

keeping up to date, it is easy to be left out.

Therefore, it is pivotal that we take care of our

own career and learning but also that

companies take responsibility and offer

courses, learning platforms and mentors to

encourage a learning culture and attract and

retain employees.

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