Challenges and opportunities for people aged 50+ on the labor market

A willingness to learn, professional flexibility and the development and maintenance of skills relevant to the labor market are key factors for the successful integration of people aged 50+ into the labor market. These are the findings of a recent study on the situation of older jobseekers in the labor market conducted by the labor market monitoring agency AMOSA on behalf of ten cantons.

Unemployment is a drastic event for many jobseekers. Older employees are often confronted with more difficult conditions on the job market. It usually takes longer for them to regain their footing and this is often associated with a permanent loss of income.

Self-assessment of jobseekers

For the study, around 750 jobseekers were asked about their unemployment and job search. The jobseekers were asked to assess their skills and abilities with regard to the requirements of the job market. Older jobseekers gave a good assessment of their personal and professional skills. However, despite their positive perception of their employability, they were much more pessimistic about their job prospects than younger people. Accordingly, they rate their chances of influencing a successful application as lower than younger people and more often feel helpless and resigned in their job search.

Assessment by the employer

Employers also share the positive assessment of the labor market skills of older workers. Employers see particular strengths in the professional experience and specialist knowledge of older workers. However, employers also rate their older workforce more highly than younger employees in terms of various soft factors, such as management experience, willingness to take on responsibility and assertiveness. The only potential sticking points for the recruitment of older jobseekers from the employers' point of view are a lack of IT skills, a somewhat lower willingness to learn and less professional flexibility on the part of older employees. However, these factors in particular, as well as the development and maintenance of skills relevant to the labor market, are key factors for successful integration into the labor market in a rapidly changing labor market.

Shared responsibility for the need for action

The need for action on the issue of older workers and jobseekers has been recognized politically. With the bridging benefits coming into force in 2021 and the improved options for remaining in the pension fund as well as the federal government's impulse program to improve the reintegration of older jobseekers who are difficult to place, there are various starting points. In addition, all AMOSA cantons have a wide range of specific courses, coaching offers and mentoring programs to support jobseekers of all ages in their reintegration in a targeted and needs-oriented manner.

Nevertheless, the AMOSA cantons have identified a need for action in certain areas. Advancing digitalization is rapidly changing the skills requirements in the labour market. Several cantons have already begun to strengthen their range of labor market measures to promote ICT skills. The rapid changes in the labor market and the associated increase in educational requirements represent a major hurdle for jobseekers of all ages.

In order to improve the integration opportunities of low-skilled workers in particular, the issue of retraining and upskilling jobseekers is therefore increasingly coming into focus. This is a challenge for the individuals concerned as well as for employers and the public sector. These challenges must be tackled together.

The detailed results of the study and other supplementary work reports can be found on the AMOSA website can be viewed.