Senior scheme creates value for both employees and the company

Today, Bent continues to lead the Swedish operations, but in September he chose to enter a senior scheme. This means he replaced the traditional 37-hour workweek with a 30-hour week to have more time for his personal interests and to ensure a smoother transition into retirement.

“I’ve seen how difficult it can be to go straight from full-time work to retirement. Losing your daily routines, many of your social contacts and, not least, stopping the work you think you’re good at. I wanted to have a smoother transition to retirement while ensuring that I can pass on my knowledge and experience properly. I have experienced great flexibility from Danske Fragtmænd regarding my wishes, which is something I really appreciate,” says Bent.

A shorter working week also means that Bent has had to hand over some of his responsibilities to his colleagues. The agreement is for Bent to take one day off a week, but this has turned out to require more planning than he first thought. It’s been a learning curve to recognise that planning is not just about the work tasks, but also about sticking to the planned days off.

“When you reduce your hours by about 20%, it’s clear that there will be some tasks you have to drop. Otherwise, I’ve been walking around doing nothing for seven hours a week. Without a doubt, it has been a challenge to make it all come together. I’ve realised how important it is to write my days off in my calendar and set up autoresponders on my email so that both colleagues and customers know that I’m off but will be back tomorrow,” says Bent.

The planning tools have proven to be crucial in creating a clear division between work and leisure for Bent. They not only help him, but also those around him, as a clear structure allows everyone to better plan their work. Without that kind of planning, Bent has found that working reduced hours can easily end up being more stressful than working full-time.

Which is the opposite of the purpose of the senior scheme, which is to create a smoother and more balanced transition to retirement.

With over 23 years of experience at Danske Fragtmænd, Bent has built up a wealth of knowledge and experience about Danske Fragtmænd’s business and customers. The senior scheme allows you to retain valuable knowledge and ensure continuity in working with customers.

“I’ve worked with some of my customers for many years, so I know how they each prefer to do things. There are some cultural differences, especially with my Swedish customers, that are important to take into account. Therefore, we have agreed to make a gradual transition where a colleague can follow and get to know the customers. This gives them time to build their own relationship and I can give my input where needed,” says Bent.

The agreement is that Bent will continue working for Danske Fragtmænd under the senior scheme for two years, after which he plans to retire. If all goes as expected, he will be able to mark his 25th anniversary as the culmination of his career with Danske Fragtmænd.