APQC Study Warns of Looming "Great Retirement" Crisis, Highlights Role of AI and Knowledge Management to Mitigate Risk
Survey finds that knowledge exodus due to baby boomer retirement is a C-level concern that most organizations are unprepared to address
More than 11,000 Americans turn 65 every day, with over half of the entire workforce planning to retire in the next five years. A new survey from APQC explores this phenomenon—dubbed the "Great Retirement"—and its potential impact on businesses.
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The research, "Navigating the Great Retirement with KM & AI," was sponsored by eGain, a leader in AI CX Automation powered by Trusted Knowledge.
Sponsored by eGain (NASDAQ:EGAN), a leader in AI CX Automation powered by Trusted Knowledge™, APQC's survey of 1,000 professionals warns that organizations are on the brink of losing critical operational expertise from departing baby boomers unless they act now to capture it. The summary white paper, Navigating the Great Retirement with KM & AI, shares the key findings.
"The threat of the Great Retirement is more than a demographic shift. It's a wakeup call for organizations and C-suite leaders to act now," said Lynda Braksiek, Principal Research Lead, Knowledge Management (KM), for APQC. "As our most valued experts retire in record numbers, the risk of losing that expertise grows. By embracing time-tested knowledge transfer methods and enabling them with AI-driven capabilities, organizations can not only preserve their institutional memory but also unlock new levels of productivity and resilience."
Among the survey findings:
- 58% of C-suite respondents are very worried about the knowledge loss
- 92% of organizations do not consistently capture knowledge from soon-to-be retirees
- 85% have not operationalized AI to automate KM processes
The report makes it clear that the Great Retirement is both a threat and an opportunity.
Organizations that act now can not only protect institutional memory but also strengthen their competitive edge. AI is emerging as a powerful enabler of foundational knowledge management practices, helping teams quickly capture, curate, and share expertise. However, enterprise adoption of AI remains stalled primarily due to concerns about accuracy and compliance alongside data privacy.
"Forward-looking organizations can gain early-mover advantage by facilitating the capture and retention of at-risk knowhow with AI automation, layered on a Trusted Knowledge infrastructure," said Ashu Roy, eGain CEO. "Our clients are capturing knowledge from real-time conversations and collaboration using AI to automate the know-how elicitation effort at scale."
"Multifamily real estate runs on tacit, site-level know-how and the ‘Great Retirement' puts it at risk," said Mariana Estrada, Chief Strategy Officer, RPM Living, an eGain client. "Backed by knowledge, AI helps capture departing expertise and turns it into trusted, consumable answers, protecting NOI and cutting time-to-proficiency while ensuring compliance."
APQC urges organizations to move fast to strengthen KM processes, integrate AI thoughtfully, and prepare employees for new technologies through training and change management. However, while AI is an enabling technology, APQC notes that tried and true KM practices will ensure that the technology can have maximum impact.
"AI is transforming how we capture and transfer expertise, making it possible to preserve decades of know-how in ways we could never imagine before," added Braksiek. "But as with all KM approaches, technology alone isn't enough. Success depends on strong content management, leadership buy-in, and a culture that values knowledge sharing at every level."
APQC's Navigating the Great Retirement with KM & AI white paper can be accessed on APQC's website at https://bit.ly/4nBuo2i. The whitepaper and survey summary can also be found on eGain's website at http://bit.ly/3IZb7ZD.
About APQC
APQC helps organizations work smarter, faster, and with greater confidence. With more than 45 years of experience, it is the world's foremost authority in benchmarking, best practices, process and performance improvement, and knowledge management. Learn more at www.apqc.org.
About eGain
eGain helps businesses improve experience and reduce cost by delivering AI CX automation powered by Trusted KnowledgeTM and consumable answers. For more information, visit www.egain.com.
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Ross Coulter
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eGain Media Relations
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