'I don't need the money': Pre-retired man re-enters the workforce as an IT worker for "purpose" reasons, but quickly becomes fed up with corporate drama, wants to tell young boss he needs autonomy and flexibility

Author image for Emma Saven
Emma Saven
Dec 4, 2025 7:00 PM EST

Imagine telling your boss, 'Hey, thanks for hiring me, but I don't really need to be here'…Well, that's basically what this 47-year-old ex-retiree wanted to tell his younger boss, give or take a few polite words…He just re-entered the workplace for "finding purpose" reasons, making it painfully clear that he does not need the money that comes with working a job…But does that mean that due to this, he is willing to put up with a lot less in the workplace? Most certainly. We mean, it makes sense…If we didn't actually need our salaries at the end of the month, would we put up with doing half the work, pressures, and potential drama that comes with working for someone else?

However, just because he has this privilege of not having to worry,  doesn't mean he's suddenly become the company's CEO, granted the power to make his own rules and limitations! Maybe it's the 6 months he took off from working, but it seems this IT employee has forgotten how the workplace hierarchy operates. Demanding autonomy and flexibility the moment you enter an entry-level IT position is highly unlikely to get you in any boss's good books. Regardless of how hard you may try to hack the ranking system! 

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  • They want employees whom they can control, and he refuses to be controlled…So, yep, we're not as confident about this business match as we'd like to be. Perhaps a non-profit or other charity would be better suited to someone like him, who still wishes to work but requires his own autonomy!

  • Employee speaking to his boss
    via Vitaly Gariev

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Is it a really bad idea to tell my boss "I'm not here for the money"?

    First I have to check my privilege - I'm in a special kind of situation that many would envy me for.
    via SpyingCyclops
  • At 47 years of age, I've reached financial independence (mainly through 15 years of IT stock grants).
    via SpyingCyclops
  • When I paid off my mortgage, I quit the job that was making me miserable-but- rich. I felt like I'd worked hard enough, earned enough, and put up with enough BS.
    via SpyingCyclops
  • So I took a half year off to reflect, travel, etc. In that time, I realized that I missed having a day job - somewhere to go, to interact with people, to face challenges and achieve results.
    via SpyingCyclops
  • So I applied for a regular job in IT, as an individual contributor (not management), and I'm enjoying most of it, now 6 months in.
    via SpyingCyclops
  • But the amount of corporate BS is piling up, and I don't feel obliged to put up with it.
    via SpyingCyclops
  • I'm thinking of taking my boss aside and saying "Look, I like this place, but I'm not here for the paycheck.
    via SpyingCyclops
  • you want me to stay, you need to shield me better from this BS." What kind of BS?
    via SpyingCyclops
  • Coworker's coding
    via freedomz

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Well, for example, today I get an email from our CIO, with other C-level execs in CC, "URGENT" in the subject line, because of a $200/year subscription that caught him by surprise (it was already approved by CTO, my manager).
    via SpyingCyclops
  • I didn't like his tone at all it was accusatory, bordering on rude (e.g. he says "please" when addressing other c- level execs, but not other colleagues).
    via SpyingCyclops
  • Typical projection - because he wasn't on top of things, he wanted to blame someone. I held back from saying what I really think (i.e.
    via SpyingCyclops
  • that he's an underqualified nepo- baby CIO who's riding on the success of his schoolmates) because that would just be too confrontational, I get that.
    via SpyingCyclops
  • I'd fire me for that. But I also feel like if someone is blunt with me like that, I will return it with interest, and the letters after someone's name mean nothing to me.
    via SpyingCyclops
  • And if that comes from "leadership", I have no problem giving feedback about the corporate culture that they are contributing to.
    via SpyingCyclops
  • So, would be S de for me to have a conversation with my boss, in which I would say: * I'm not here for the paycheck.
    via SpyingCyclops
  • I'm here to do interesting, challenging and meaningful work. * If you want to motivate me, the best carrots are autonomy, flexibility, learning opportunities, and leave of absence (paid or unpaid).
    via SpyingCyclops
  • * If you want to keep me here, shield me from this BS. I guess it comes down to whether they want someone they can control easily (someone who really needs that paycheck) or not.
    via SpyingCyclops
  • Employee working on his laptop
    via gettyimages

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • jlawso21 Yeah, nobody wants an employee who feels they are above it all. You can sit back and condescend to do the work that suits you, but sooner or later they company will decide you're not worth the trouble.
    via jlawso21
  • EngineeringMain You've got an ace up your sleeve and you want to whip it out over an annoying email? Brother, we never reveal our cards. Ever. The second bullet accomplishes your goal without compromising your leverage. Stay smart my friend.
    via EngineeringMain
  • Whole MilkElitist They won't care, you'll get replaced. You aren't doing interesting work, you're just a low level IT cog. Start your own thing if it isn't about the paycheck and just exploring and learning.
    via WholeMilkElitist
  • Lemmon_Scented It's a bad idea. Telling your boss the petty political bullshit is beneath you (but not him) isn't going to land well. Learn to ignore the noise and you'll be happier.
    via Lemmon_Scented
  • JustMe39908 The issue you bring up is a minor nothing. Honestly, there is no way you can be shielded by random stupidity by email. For what you want and your unique situation, you should either find a non-profit that you can do volunteer work for or be a freelance consultant taking jobs you find interesting.
    via JustMe39908

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boss employee middle aged financial freedom it workplace entitled
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