What is the situation of „silvers” on the Polish labor market?
Employers’ reluctance to provide pre-retirement protection, poorer knowledge of foreign languages or the latest technologies – in the opinion of many employees, these are the greatest obstacles to changing jobs at a mature stage of professional life. However, it turns out that the situation on the labor market is changing. The number of job advertisements on OLX addressed to people 50+ is increasing from month to month, and the survey shows that employers are increasingly appreciating „silvers”.
People approaching the age of pre-retirement protection feel very threatened in the labor market and are rather reluctant to change their job. Among those who are not currently working, as many as 68 percent declares that it is difficult for mature people to find a job. Many are afraid that if the economic situation deteriorates, they will be the first on the list to be laid off. This is the result of a study conducted by Minds&Roses and OLX Praca.
At the same time, more and more employers look favorably on older workers. In their opinion, „silvers” are more loyal to the company, do not have high expectations regarding promotion or raises, are available, conscientious and committed to their work.
– Taking into account shortages in the labor market and the search for employees with appropriate experience, I think that we will face a time when companies will have to use older workers. Also those who have already retired. Potentially, these recruitments will be different: the process of encouraging people to change jobs and the process of encouraging them to return to the labor market are very different. Therefore, it is worth talking to retiring employees now about how our organization supports the „silvers”. What would have to happen for them to stay? What do they need? What was difficult for them? – says Piotr Chwiedziewicz Growth Manager at OLX Praca.
Not only highly qualified employees (e.g. doctors, lawyers, accountants) find their place on the labor market, but also people working in sectors where successful recruitment is increasingly difficult (education, logistics, transport, nursing). Among the advertisements for people 50+ on OLX Praca, most offers are in the catering industry and for professional drivers. Next, announcements from the trade and production sectors. But there are also job offers in the IT industry (mobile application tester, IT implementation technician).
– When thinking about people 50+ or 60+, we must get rid of stereotypes and stigmatization of representatives of this fastest growing age group – emphasizes Piotr Chwiedziewicz. – Modern seniors are not digitally excluded (currently approximately 3/4 use the Internet, half of them shop or use electronic banking). This is the first generation of people who were active on the labor market during the political transformation and still want to benefit from its effects. „Silvers” are more attentive to their own financial situation and think about their needs and desires, they are healthier, more active, and travel more – adds the OLX Praca expert.
According to data from the Central Statistical Office, Polish society is systematically aging, and the labor market will have to respond to the related challenges. Creating jobs for „silvers” is also a chance to avoid a competence gap in teams, i.e. the risk associated with the retirement of too many employees.
According to experts, combining the experience of „silvers” with the technological competences of younger employees is, on the one hand, a challenge, but on the other hand, a huge development opportunity for the organization and business.
Supported by Norway through Norway Grants 2014-2021, in the frame of the Programme “Social Dialogue – Decent Work”.
