Richard Leider, author of several books including “The Power of Purpose,” was involved in a research study, “Discovering What Matters,” by MetLife Mature Market Institute. The study revealed that, while having enough money to be comfortable remains important, it’s not the only, or even the most important, factor in personal happiness for many. “The most content people also focus on the non-financial essentials in their lives, even during difficult economic times,” one of the study’s authors wrote.

Planning effectively for the rest of life is about planning for beyond the money — the nonfinancial parts of retirement — emotional, spiritual and psychological aspects of leaving one’s main career.

We are not retiring from life, but we are moving onto something else. It takes time and intentional thought to move onto what’s next in life. Living a fulfilling life from ages 55 to 85 is not based on intelligence or money. It is about learning to navigate these changes to make intentional decisions about how you want to live the next phase of life.

Show appreciation for loyalty

Rethinking retirement includes assessing how employees who have retired from your organization in the past were treated. How employees leave a workplace affects how those who remain feel about the process and the organization. If your current employees believe that you’ve treated exiting employees as costs to be cut rather than assets that appreciate, this too can invoke fears that prevent them from taking advantage of retirement packages. No one wants to invest a significant portion of their life into building something and be forgotten as soon as they’re out the door.

How are you helping future retirees with the emotional and psychological aspects of transitioning out of work? It is common for organizations to bring in financial advisers to help employees plan for the next phase of life. Educating people on how to navigate the non-financial aspects is just as important and even more so when the finances are satisfactory.

A local insurance company offered a lucrative early-retirement package to employees. The CEO was shocked when only five of the 80 eligible employees signed up. “When people have enough money to support their lifestyle,” I explained, “money is not a motivator. But when people have a plan, they know where they are going, and have ideas on how to spend their time.” They are more able to “let go” in order to move on.

This proved to be the case for the insurance company, which saw more employees sign up for early retirement after the company had invested in workshops focused on non-financial planning for the future. When people are prepared for the transition to leave the workplace, they are more likely to leave feeling valued.

Vermeer Corp. of Pella should be benchmarked for its dedication to employees. In 2016, the company created a program called Equipped for Life. Teresa Hovell, benefits manager at Vermeer Corp., said the program is part of the legacy left by Mary and Dale Andringa — family members of the founders of Vermeer. They want people feeling prepared for retirement. In fact, the Andringas feel so strongly about this program that they teach several of the sessions themselves and share their own personal stories and challenges with retirement.

Equipped for Life consists of several workshops, each addressing the non-financial aspects of retirement. When I asked Hovell about the benefits to Vermeer for investing the time, money and energy into employees who will be leaving, she responded, “It is the right thing to do. It reflects our care and compassion to loyal employees. We gain nothing when they leave — we actually lose. This is our way of taking care of the whole employee.”

Retirees can be your best ambassadors if they leave feeling valued and appreciated. Most companies provide financial information to make sure employees are prepared for life after work, but few organizations invest resources into the non-financial aspects of retirement. The important thing to remember is that when employees feel financially secure, they can feel equipped for the rest of their life shift — the focus to life “beyond the money.”

Jann E. Freed is a leadership development coach and speaker, as well as the author of “Breadcrumb Legacy: How Great Leaders Live a Life Worth Remembering” (Routledge). You can learn more about Freed at https://jannfreed.com and more about “Breadcrumb Legacy” at https://amz.run/6Bbz.