The retirement of managers is not just a date on the calendar. It is a psychological upheaval. A social turning point. And - if poorly managed - a risk for the entire company.
Whether voluntary or forced: The transition can trigger anxiety, loss of identity and health problems - especially for top performers whose self-worth is strongly tied to their role.
There are also major organizational issues:
- Loss of knowledge
- Hectic search for successors
- Cultural instability
Forced retirements (e.g. age limits) exacerbate these effects.
What helps: early planning, staged transitions, structured knowledge transfer, people-centered support.
What harms: unexpected exits, ignored mental stress, reactive succession processes.
Retirement is a leadership issue. It deserves the same strategic attention as onboarding or promotion.
In our Competence Center for Leadership Experience at @HWG Ludwigshafen, we work with students to examine precisely these challenges and which solutions will make organizations fit for the future.
The end of the C-level career: Why retirement is not a personal farewell, but an organizational event
