Newest coworker is oddly elderly for his position, which is entry level laboratory stuff. Pressing a button on a machine and writing down the results basically. He's nice enough and friendly. Not great at his job but he's only worked for about two months so that's natural, plus again he's on the older side, at least late 60s or early 70s.
Just learned today that he was retired, he's on a pension, and he knew the owner from some business connections or something. Owner invited him to spend time at the company a few days a week. Dude is cosplaying as a worker. He doesn't even have experience in this role, he was an accountant or something for a similar industry, then management for decades, and now he's doing grunt laboratory labor for fun or something? What the fuck is going on
Dude I'm super glad you can have a job out of boredom. Some of us have to work for a paycheck and pay rent. Really glad that your retirement is so unfulfilling you can mingle with people who have student loan debt. Really cool that you can use the workplace as your adult day care so you don't have to spend time with your wife or grandkids.
I don't know how to feel about this and it's instantly made stuff super awkward. I'm upset at his mere existence. Like my workplace is a soul erasing facility where I begrudgingly drag myself so I have healthcare and an apartment. This guy has a pension and Medicare and shows up with his thermos and steel toes like "hello fellow proletariat"
Edit: ok to be clear, this guy in his own words, plus the testimony of other coworkers. He's told me he's materially comfortable, owns multiple houses, and has far more than enough money stay retired forever. He's showing up at a job just to have something to do. Which wouldn't be so off-putting if it were something more interesting but this is glorified data entry.
Like go volunteer at a shelter, dude.
does he actually or have you just projected this onto him. like is he really trying to relate to you and your other coworkers as if you're all in the same boat? or is he just showing up bc he needs a way to pass the time (which is weird and sus but distinct from what i think you're talking about in this post)?
he told me in his own words he just needed something to do, that he's comfortable, had a high paying job for years, now simply wants to "learn the process"
That's what I meant in the post. I've learned this guy just wants to pass the time
sounds kind of harmless tbh, maybe he's just really interested in the nitty gritty of your work. as crazy as that sounds to someone who has to do it to keep a roof over the head, people do be having weird niche interests
however i just saw in another comment you posted that he's a landlord so of course i hope he dies a painful death asap
I mean yeah ultimately it's harmless and I'm just venting. I fucking hate my job and can't fathom anyone would do it for fun.
I also hate my job without doing essentially adult daycare. I think that's also why I'm mad at this. My job already sucks and now I'm like a fun little zoo animal exhibit for some former management level dude.
Sound like he should be enrolling in the senior programs at a community college or donating time to a charitable organization like united way or social venture partners or w/e organization can put to use his prior work experience(accounting is a skill nonprofits/charities need lol). Wild stuff