Older workers in the upswing: take advantage of future -oriented opportunities!

Older workers in the upswing: take advantage of future -oriented opportunities!

The Federal Employment Agency (BA) has informed in a current message about the increasing employment participation of older workers. In particular, employees over the age of 55 will be increasingly on focus in the future, since companies are increasingly dependent on experienced employees. To support this trend, a digital event via Skype will take place on Thursday, May 22nd, at 5 p.m. Here experts from the employment agency are available to answer questions about professional (new) orientation.

The event reacts to the increasing shortage of skilled workers and offers older workers better perspectives on the labor market. Interested parties can register at this link for the digital consultation hour. This is a valuable opportunity to find out about new professional opportunities and your own qualifications.

overall increasing gainful figures for older workers

The data published by the Federal Statistical Office prove a significant increase in the employment participation of older workers in recent years. The employment rate of the 60- to 64-year-olds rose from 50% in 2013 to 65% in 2023. For the 65- to 69-year-olds, the increase from 13% to 20% is also remarkable. These numbers show that more and more older people want to actively participate in working life.

2023 69% of the 60- to 64-year-old men and 61% of women in Germany were employed. In the 65- to 69-year-olds, the odds were 24% for men and 17% for women. The demographic change and legal changes that gradually raise the retirement age to 67 years have contributed to the fact that older workers stay in their professional life longer.

social aspects and challenges

A higher level of education correlates with a longer participation in working life. In 2023, the employment rate of the highly qualified was 75%, while low qualified quota had a rate of 53%. The reasons for participation in employment in retirement age are diverse: many older workers want to preserve their social participation and avoid poverty in old age.

Around 40% of the employed from the age of 65 are dependent on their work content. In contrast, 57% of this group mostly live on pensions or assets. In addition, it was noticed that 31% of employed people aged 65 and over are self -employed. This is significantly higher than with the 60- to 64-year-olds, where only 13% are self-employed, and above the average value of all workers of 9%.

These developments show that society is increasingly dealing with the challenges of demographic change. Reports and research results, such as those published regularly by organizations and scientists, address the necessary steps to integrate older workers into the labor market. The need for qualified specialists is expected to continue to increase what makes older applicants important candidates to close the gaps on the labor market.