EMPTY NEST SEASON
The WHY • During the empty nest season, parents can suddenly feel a void in their lives and a sense of loss when their children leave home. They may feel they have lost their purpose.
The WHEN
“Raising Phase”
• Employees may view the empty nest stage as an ending versus a new beginning.
• Some empty nesters struggle with marital closeness and question their partnerships.
Graphic Framework Source: “Reversing Burnout” by Peter Atherton
• With millennials (born between 1981-1996) now making up the largest segment of the AEC workforce, employees in the empty nest stage may already feel less needed or less important than others at their firm. This, compounded with not feeling needed as much by their children, can lead to poor mental health.
RELEVANT RESOURCES
• How to Rethink Your Career as an Empty Nester by Anne Sugar – https://hbr.org/2024/05/how-to-rethink-your-career-as-an-empty-nester • Finding Joy in the Empty Nest: Discover Purpose and Passion in the Next Phase of Life by Jim Burns, Ph.D.
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