70 is the New 53: Stuart Forsyth on Thriving in Work After 65

Alternate titles

• The Career Legends: Why More New Zealanders Are Working Past 65
• Still Sharp, Still Contributing: Making a Success of Work After Retirement

Liz sits down with leadership coach and chartered organisational psychologist Stuart Forsyth to talk about his 65 Plus Project, his research into the growing number of New Zealanders who keep working past retirement age. It is a warm, optimistic conversation about vitality, skills, relationships and curiosity, with plenty of practical advice for anyone weighing up whether to keep going, plus a reminder that a longer life calls for both a solid financial plan and a strong sense of meaning.

Key takeaways for members

• Working past 65 is no longer a novelty. People over 65 already make up around 8 percent of the New Zealand labour force, and that is projected to rise to 9 percent over the next decade, driven by genuine skill shortages and by people simply being more capable for longer.
• Today’s older New Zealanders are cognitively sharper than previous generations. Stuart cites an IMF finding that, in terms of cognitive ability, “70 is the new 53,” thanks largely to better self-care: more exercise, less smoking, less drinking.
• Ageism is real, so make your capabilities visible. When applying for work, play up both physical and mental agility. Use the interests section of your CV to show active pursuits and a comfort with learning new tools and communication technologies.
• Three things drive career success at any age. The familiar two are what you know (skills) and who you know (relationships, including your friends’ friends and contacts’ contacts). The third, often overlooked, is proactive curiosity: staying genuinely in touch with what is happening in the world of work so you avoid dead-end paths.
• Treat AI as a capable assistant, not a threat. Stuart encourages everyone to get hands-on with tools like Copilot for real work, from drafting coaching exercises to sharpening a presentation, rather than just settling trivia questions.
• Older workers do not take jobs from the young. This is the “labour force fallacy,” the mistaken belief that jobs are a fixed pie. New workers, whether women, migrants or older people, grow the economy and create demand, and the diversity of an older perspective fuels innovation.
• End on meaning, and on getting your affairs in order. We are living longer, healthier lives than any generation before us. That makes a sound financial plan essential (Liz’s territory), and it makes doing what gives you meaning, whether paid work, volunteering or time with mokopuna, just as important. As Stuart notes, people who find meaning in life tend to live longer.