The aging population poses challenges for the employment market related to the growing number of older people and declining group of people of productive age. The search for young candidates for jobs will become more difficult for employers. The problems related to this are presented in the report “Working retirees and persons of period around
retirement age”, published by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP). 
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these occupations will be work in 2025 year
Beginning under considering demographic forecasts, it is inevitable , that there will already be a significant difference between populations of non-working age – the share of the older will be twice more than the younger. According to experts the European Commission by 2070 year. there will be one of the largest in the EU population rates: to 32.28% in 2040 and 26.8% in 2070 year. Although this trend will be visible in most member countries, the scale of change in Poland, increasing by almost 31 pc, will be one of the highest. More decrease (33 p.p.) is expected only in Latvia.
In 2023 year. in Poland 7.9 million people in age 60-89 years, meaning 84.6% of this group, were inactive vocally, which is a result approximately to the value of the previous year (7.8 million persons). From both the ratio of vocational activity people in the study group was in 2023 year. 15.4% and declined in compared to the previous year (15.7%), and the employment rate shaped at level 15.2% (15.5%).
In consequence the search for young candidates for jobs will become more difficult for employers, which will cause they will be forced to use the experience of older employees. A seniors have unique skills, experience and knowledge, invaluable in different industries. They bring stability, loyalty and perspective, which may prove to be key when making business decisions. At the same time professional activity of older people allows to reduce the burden on pension systems and improve the quality of life of this age group.
And how to make these changes.view retirees? As we read in the latest report “Working retirees and persons of around retirement age”, published by the Poland Agency of Enterprise Development, general satisfaction with work in Poland is higher than average, however, one many factors related to work conditions (requirements physical, small opportunities for promotion or lack of freedom) – lowers its quality.
People want to work in retirement
Results of a survey conducted in Poland pt. “Safety Job in Poland 2022. Persons 50+ in the market for work: opportunities and limitations” show, that 39% of people – are both working, as and not working, but seeking jobs – declare their willingness to continue working after achieving retirement age. The most willing to continue work after achieving retirement age are those representing the medical industry (56%) and trade (54%). On the other hand, lack of interest in further professional activity is most often expressed by employees of education (38%) and industry and agriculture (32%).
According to Eurostat in 2021 year. in countries of the European Union the most people of age 65+ worked in Estonia (49.6% of total number of retirees), Sweden (44.6%) and Ireland (44.1%), with both – in Romania (7.4%), Belgium (9.2%) and Croatia (9.5%). In Poland this interest was in 2021 year 17.7% – this is less than the EU average, which in the referenced period was 19.6%.
From both from data of the US it follows, that in the last eight years in Poland the number of working retirees increased by 48.4% and was 854 tys. persons. In this group the majority was women (57.8%). Nearly 96% of working retirees are persons of age 60-65 years and more. The average age of working retirees was 67.3 years.; for men it was 68.9, for women – 66.1.
What hinders seniors?
Seniors face various barriers, which may hinder them from getting work. These result from both individual, and systemic conditions.
The rapid tempo of changes in the market of work makes it that skills acquired decades ago may not be already sufficient. Today often requires familiarity with new technologies, which for many seniors may be a barrier. It is worth adding, that few retirees agree with the assertion, that in Poland people young and old function together in society. Surveys also indicate a clear preference for employers to employ younger candidates towork.
Lack of flexibility in employment is another problem that seniors face. Working on full time can be too demanding for their seniors, a lack of opportunities to work at not full hours – discourage they from taking activity into work should also be noted, that offers of jobs rarely account for specific needs and capacities of retirees, and many available positions involve a physical effort.
In the above report PARP authors point out, that a particularly significant challenge is the issue of remuneration, which has a large impact on the situation of retirees in the labor market. It is related to that in Poland the feeling of inadequacy of earnings is more pronounced than in other countries. This from the other means, that retirees may have difficulties in negotiating satisfactory financial conditions. As read, lower remuneration may discourage their to activity professionally, and at the same time not sufficient to cover growing costs of living. From the other side for some seniors taking job may be unprofitable in comparison to retirement benefits. Therefore solving this problem, for example. by adapting payroll policy, may be key to maintaining older employees in the employment market and providing their convenient conditions.
Without doubt the involvement of seniors in the work market requires a systemic approach and cooperation between government, non-government organizations and the private sector.
Potential professional retirees
In the report of PARP we read, that older employees often indicate high self-esteem in the range of soft skills, such as organization of work, management of team or resistance to stress. However their feeling of their own skills in the area of technical competence needs support and improvement.
The authors also cite data from the study pn. “Diagnosis of the current situation of women and men 50+ in the market of work in Poland”, according to which 19% of men and 17% of womenatage45-69years,inthosenotprofessionally active,ratedhighlytheirknowledgeofatleastoneforeign language,butaboutabout.40%indicatedthelackofthisskill.Ifitisaboutoperatinga computer,theneverythirdwoman(30%)andeverythirdman(29%)ratedtheirskillsinthisareahighly.Theratingisclearlycorrelatedwithage:theoldertheperson,thegreaterdeficienciesinthisarea.
Inthisplaceworthwhile.add,thatadaptingworkpositionstothecapabilitiesofseniorsandprovidingtrainingtotheirprofits.Inreplacementcompaniesrequireloyal,experiencedandvaluableemployees,whobringstabilityandwidespreadknowledgetotheteam.
