phased retirement

Definition

Gradually reducing work hours or responsibilities as employees transition toward full retirement, theoretically enabling knowledge transfer. It's the professional equivalent of easing into cold water instead of diving in.

Example Usage

The university offered phased retirement allowing professors to work half-time for three years while mentoring successors.

Origin

Emerged in the 1990s-2000s as workforce aging became a strategic concern

Fun Fact

Phased retirement programs are rarer than they should be because benefits administration and pension regulations make them administratively complex.

Source: Retirement planning and workforce transition practices

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