Research from more than 1,000 UK employed adults, analysed for International Women’s Day by organisation development consultancy, h2h has found the vast majority of women in the workforce (76 per cent) want to learn from their older colleagues and 74 per cent are keen to receive mentoring, but just 41 per cent are currently doing so.
55 per cent of women approaching retirement would like to mentor younger colleagues, while 58 per cent would seek out professional coaching for themselves.
The findings suggest that most women are keen to give and receive knowledge from their colleagues, particularly those who are approaching retirement, and that businesses could be missing an opportunity.
The study also shows that 64 per cent of women are excited to retire, with many (62 per cent) preparing a clear plan of how they will spend their time – even if they are not due to retire within the next decade, versus 56 per cent of men.
“Micro-retirement” is of interest to 56 per cent of women due to retire in the next 10 years, rising to 64 per cent of women who are not yet approaching retirement age. 48 per cent of women plan to get a part-time job when they finish full-time work, while fewer men (42 per cent) are considering this option.
“This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is ‘Give to Gain’, which is particularly relevant when you see the trends from our research around the value of mentoring and coaching in the workplace,” says Susan Binnersley, Managing Director of h2h. “Women of all ages have a lot to learn from one another, and reverse-mentoring – where experienced colleagues learn from their younger counterparts – is just as beneficial as the more traditional mentoring relationship. The added benefit for organisations is that it helps to tackle the growing issue of knowledge draining from businesses when people retire.
“Our research also shows that women worry about losing their sense of purpose when they retire, and mentoring is a great way to leave a lasting legacy and add meaning to those all important final years of full-time work. I am fortunate to have benefitted from mentoring throughout my working life and believe it fundamentally shaped my early career, when I was in the minority as a woman working in STEM in the early 1990s.”
The research ‘From Onboarding to Retirement: Rethinking Career Growth and Retention in Organisations in 2026 and Beyond’ explores attitudes to work across the entire employment lifecycle, from first jobs to retirement, as well as reflections on the impact teachers, parents and social media have on career choices.
While there are many positive elements to retirement, 47 per cent of women are concerned about losing their sense of purpose as a result of this milestone, and 42 per cent of women are worried about the impact it will have on their mental health.
The full report is available to download at: h2h.uk.com/2025-survey-report/
