It's Not Retirement.It's 'Flextirement.'

As older employees reach retirement age, they're increasingly asking for a "phased retirement" instead of leaving on a certain day. Here's why more employers are saying yes.

- FRANCES DODDS

Connie Goodnight runs human resources at Tank Connection, a rural Kansas company that makes liquid and dry bulk storage tanks. Five years ago, their head project manager made an unusual request: She was looking at early retirement, and wondered if she could reduce her hours gradually, instead of calling it quits on a set date. At first, Goodnight wasn't sure it was feasible. "We employ about 350 people, and like most companies in our size range, we're very cost-conscious," she says. "So it was a question: Can we really do this?" Today, they have their answer: Yes, happily. Tank Connection has since worked with over 10 employees on a phased retirement plan, and Goodnight plans to jump on the bandwagon herself within the next year.