One in five staff at Jutland museum are retirees

One in five employees at Kongernes Jelling museum in Jutland are retirees, with four more over 60, reports Danish broadcaster DR.

The museum is not alone in employing older workers. Attractions like Djurs Sommerland, Tivoli, and Fårup Sommerland have also found success with senior staff.

Nationwide, the number of Danes working past 67 has risen sharply. In 2021, 70,301 retirees were employed; by 2026, that figure reached 105,366—an increase of 35,065 in five years, according to the Agency for Labour Market and Recruitment.

Museum director Morten Teilmann-Jørgensen values the experience retirees bring. “People might be a bit skeptical when they meet a young person,” he said. “The older staff have knowledge and a real enthusiasm for sharing it.”

Flexible hours help attract retirees. “We need to make it appealing, so they don’t have to work 37 hours a week,” Teilmann-Jørgensen said.

Among the retirees is 81-year-old Søren Mols, a former teacher who retired in 2007. Last year, he conducted 90 tours and lectures, with a similar number expected this year. “I can’t imagine a daily life with nothing to get up for,” he said. “Having requests for tours in the coming week is wonderful.”

Teilmann-Jørgensen wants to hire more retirees. “When we look for new staff, we don’t assume someone over 60 is hard to train,” he said. “We should always give older people a chance—you get so much in return.”