The Ukrainian labor market is in a difficult situation: despite the fact that most companies are experiencing a severe shortage of personnel, workers aged 50 and over remain under-demanded due to stereotypes and biases from employers.
This is reported by Finway
“Experience is interpreted as an unwillingness to move away from outdated practices, reliability is perceived as less flexibility, and discipline is assessed as a lower ability to adapt.”
Age Stereotypes and Their Impact on the Labor Market
According to research conducted under the initiative “Silver Economy of Ukraine: The Potential of the 50+ Generation,” employers acknowledge that older candidates possess significant professional experience and responsibility, but often evaluate these qualities negatively. Experience is frequently seen as a tendency to work according to old schemes, while reliability is viewed as insufficient flexibility. This trend leads to the real skills of candidates aged 50+ being replaced by subjective assumptions regarding age limitations.
Main Concerns of Employers Regarding Employees Aged 50+
Modern businesses prefer employees who can quickly adapt to changes. This is where age stereotypes become most significant. According to a survey, 60% of employers consider age to be one of the key factors in hiring. Only 3% of companies are convinced that employees aged 50+ can learn quickly, while in the age group of 35+, this figure reaches 54%. Similarly, only 3% of employers are confident that older candidates can withstand an intense work pace, while among specialists aged 35–40, this figure is 52%. Additionally, 65% of companies note a critical lack of digital skills among candidates over 50, which are now a basic requirement for employment.
Despite this, the State Employment Service reported an increase in the share of individuals aged 50+ in the registered labor market: from 30% at the beginning of 2022 to 37% in May of this year. The study involved 120 employers from five regions of Ukraine, representing 20 different sectors of the economy.