The decision by a retired individual to return to paid employment, self-employment, consulting, or other forms of compensated work after a period of retirement. Unretirement may be full-time, part-time, temporary, project-based, or flexible. Returning to work is often motivated by financial needs, personal fulfillment, social engagement, a desire to continue contributing knowledge and expertise, and/or employer demand for experienced workers.

Unretirement reflects a broader shift away from the traditional view of retirement as a permanent exit from the workforce. Instead, retirement is increasingly viewed as one stage within a longer, more flexible career journey. Longer life expectancy, improved health, labor shortages, flexible work arrangements, and changing economic conditions are contributing to the growth of unretirement.

The impacts of unretirement are reshaping workforce planning, retirement policy, and career development by:

• Expanding the available talent pool through experienced workers
• Supporting multigenerational workplaces
• Encouraging lifelong learning and reskilling throughout longer careers
• Increasing demand for flexible and phased employment arrangements
• Challenging traditional assumptions about career endings and retirement.