Helsinki (25.04.2002 – Juhani Artto) In just a few years employer attitudes towards workers over 55 years of age have become more positive. This vital change has taken place to a large extent thanks to the National Programme for Ageing Workers 1998-2002. In association with the ministries of labour and education, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health was primarily responsible for implementing the programme, while trade union and employer organisations supported the campaign.
Another factor behind the improved labour market position of older workers has been a general growth in demand for labour.
The new popularity of older workers appears in several documented phenomena and trends. The employment rate of older female workers was first to recover to the level of the months preceding the recession of the early 1990s. This was soon followed by the employment rate of older male workers, and was well ahead of a similar development among the younger generations.
Economic reasons also underlie declining age discrimination
Four years ago half of those aged 55 to 59 years were employed. The corresponding proportion is now two-thirds. During these four years the average age of retirement rose by one year. Experts say that five years ago employees of around 30 years of age had the highest standing with employers. Nowadays age no longer matters as much.
A reduction in age discrimination in the labour market has been pursued as an objective for both individual and collective reasons. Any individual of working age must have the right to a job regardless of age. National economic projections in a country with a rapidly greying population offer other arguments for fighting age discrimination. The older the age structure of the population, the more important it is to extend individual working careers. Failure to do would burden social welfare programmes in an unsustainable manner, or alternatively would force cuts in these programmes.
At enterprise level the increased interest in older workers has other reasons. Campaigners have called attention to the fact that older employees lose fewer working days on sick leave. Recently there has also been some public interest in the so-called "quiet skills". Older workers know from experience of many benefits for their working communities of which younger employees are unaware.
Not everything behind the improved figures gives cause for comfort, however. Even in recent times, when the situation has called for downsizing, it has been customary to encourage older employees to take early retirement or to embark on a path of various social benefits that leads to this end. Research now indicates that this has changed. Nowadays employers prefer to use fixed-time employment as a buffer, which in turn has undermined the labour market position of the younger generations.
Elderly employees in need of education
One weakness of older workers tends to be a lack of education, with a significant proportion educated only to primary or secondary level. The National Programme for Ageing Workers 1998-2002 did not achieve all of its educational goals. Therefore in coming years there will be greater investment in the education of older workers.
Adult education resources will be focused especially on industries that are not top priorities for younger generations.
Roughly one third of those in the labour market are weakly equipped to meet the special demands of the information society. The authorities plan to halve this proportion by 2005.
When evaluating the achievements and weaknesses of the programme, researchers conclude that more attention must also be paid to the physical and mental working conditions older workers. This includes the special skills needed in managing older workers. So far more than one thousand foremen have been trained in age management.
Experts point out, however, that although the labour market position of older workers has improved, it remains a weak one.