“Dismantle rather than build” despite skilled worker shortage: Swiss companies neglect people over 50

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Let the elderly take care: As the Swiss economy is hungry for workers, the idea of ​​keeping people on the job market longer is being discussed. At least until retirement, and if possible, even after. But a new study of the Swiss economy shows that this is far from reality. The exact opposite!

66 percent of Swiss employers do not specifically meet the needs of over-50s in their workforce. That’s the conclusion of a survey of several hundred companies by Talent Solutions Right Management, a subsidiary of staffing services provider Manpower Group.

dismantle rather than build

When asked about offers for people over 50, employers mention, among other things, early retirement offers and support in the event of redundancy. Nina Rüschen (54), co-author of the research, said: “Companies are interested in reducing the workforce of employees over 50 rather than increasing it!” says.

It is advisable that the Swiss economy adapts to the needs of older workers sooner rather than later. One third of working age people are currently over 50. Depending on demographic developments, the average age of the working population will continue to increase.

“Companies cannot ignore a third of the workforce,” says Rüschen. Investing in people over 50 is not about doing good, but about adding tangible added value to companies. “These people have a lot of knowledge. Thanks to their experience, they have a lot of social skills and are extremely resilient to stress.”

Individual responsibility of people over 50 regarding their careers

Among other things, the research recommends that companies invest in the employability of people over 50. In other words: further education. But “This is not just the employers’ responsibility,” says Rüschen. “Many workers over the age of 50 ask themselves: Why should I invest in further education? “More awareness needs to be created,” he said.

Employers also need to be more open about hiring. “In other countries, it is already standard to send CVs without photos and date of birth,” says Rüschen. However, even if Swiss employers get along better with their “silver” employees, they will not be able to completely fill the skilled worker gap. But at least we can help ensure that this gap doesn’t widen further.

Source :Blick