The Christmas and New Year period is often a time for reflection and a catalyst for change - especially on the job front.
On average, workers remain in their job for about four years, but 'average' is not a word that describes woodworker Harvey Grieve, who hails from Pīwakawaka/Methven.
He's been working for the same company since he left school, and he finally retired on Friday aged 76.
Grieve is a creature of habit.
He has the same breakfast, the same morning routine, and has been at the same workplace since 1966.
"I really started in 1963. I was still in high school but I used to work Saturday mornings in those days," Grieve told Newshub.
Part-time led to full-time, and full-time became a lifetime.
"Through all the hardships and changes and things we went through, Harvey stuck with the company," said Lyell Shearer, Grieve's former boss.
"[He's] probably one of the most reliable people you'll ever meet."
His scarcely taken sick days are testament to that.
"I looked it up in my diary and it was 16 years since I'd had one," Grieve said.
But his dependability and loyalty are not his greatest attributes.
"Harvey's got such talent with woodwork, we won't see that talent again. It's something that's probably going to disappear with him unfortunately," said Karl Burmester, Grieve's former boss as of today.
Actually - he's just taking it home.
"Just because he's retiring from his job, it doesn't mean he's ever gonna stop building," said wife Shelley Grieve.
"He's got his workshop set up, he's always going to have a project on the go."
It's a craft learned over seven decades.
"He certainly is like furniture. He's got his own special seat in the smoko room," said colleague Ben Rutter.
Shearer wasn't the first in his family to share a smoko with Harvey.
"I worked for his grandfather to start with, and his father," Grieve said.
"And then his son in law worked with me in the joinery and then his grandson came and did cleaning up around the workshop," he added.
"It might sound a bit boring to work for one company for that long but the job and the industry have changed so much over those years that there was always something new coming up."
"I don't think there's anyone that I know [of who has] worked within the same business for 57 years," said Burmester.
Newshub asked Grieve: what's the key to job satisfaction?
"Pick something you think you'll enjoy," he replied.
"And if you don't enjoy it - get out. I don't think I ever had a day where I dreaded coming to work."
Here's hoping retirement doesn't disappoint, either.
