Online work makes post-retirement earning easier

Moneyweb

We’re living far longer than we used to, yet for many retirees in SA there isn’t enough money in the retirement pot.

However, Darren Gorton from BoardX and Annette Muller of Flexy Skills, believe retirement needn’t cap your ability to earn a salary. They were speaking at Liberty’s 2017 Retire Well Masterclass last year.

With the rise of freelancing and the emergence of start-ups hungry for experienced board members, there are many opportunities for retirees.

“We believe that by connecting retirees who have board and management experience with SMEs and start-ups, we can address part of the skills problem while also providing income-earning opportunities for retired professionals,” says Gorton.

In many cases, local SMEs and start-ups are founded on highly innovative and relevant concepts that address market needs. The continual stumbling block, however, is the business of running a business, and the strategic know-how to generate income while building a sustainable enterprise. For retirees with management experience, this presents a major opportunity to contribute.

Armed with connectivity and slick digital platforms, more workers are opting for freelance or contract work over the traditional nine to five role. Labelled the “gig economy”, the shift to freelance work is creating a massive online marketplace for whoever wishes to auction off or sell their skills. For SA retirees, this emerging economy presents a myriad of opportunities to earn an income from home.

Retirees can either tap into their existing networks and establish a new type of remote working relationship, or delve into the many online talent platforms, such as Flexy.

Globally, one of the largest is Upwork, which connects freelancers with assignments in areas like programming, design and marketing. As the global gig economy grows, Muller says those who learn to leverage emerging technology, for example online learning and remote working tools, can profit.