Experience is an asset

Europe is ageing. Eurostat reports that in 2025 there were about 34.5 people aged 65 or over for every 100 people of working age in the EU. At the same time more people in their late fifties and early sixties are working: the employment rate for those aged 55 to 64 reached 66.4 per cent across the EU in 2025, 75.3 per cent in Germany and 61.7 per cent in France.

In Germany the shortage of skilled workers remains a daily concern. The Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft estimated in its report for March 2026 that about 357,000 vacancies for skilled workers could not be filled with suitably qualified candidates.

Not about working longer

We want to be clear: this is not an argument that people should work longer than they want to. Retirement is earned. But many experienced people would happily continue in a different form, with fewer hours, less travel or a different role, if they were asked and if the job were adapted.

A different kind of contribution

Experienced staff often contribute in ways that do not show up in daily output. They teach, prevent mistakes, calm difficult customers and remember why something was done a certain way. A company that recognises this kind of contribution, and pays and respects it, keeps knowledge that is very hard to rebuild.

Practical steps

Find out which knowledge lives in only one or two people's heads. Ask experienced colleagues about their plans, and what would help them stay if they wish. Pair them with younger colleagues on real work. Write down what matters, in short notes, checklists and photos. And start handovers years, not weeks, before someone leaves.

Technology can help here too. A simple shared knowledge base, short recorded explanations, or an AI assistant that answers questions from the company's own documents can preserve know-how. But these tools only work if experienced people are willing to share, and that depends on how they are treated.

Published 1 October 2026 · © 2026 Habsburg Digital Ltd