Ageism in Ukrainian: Has the situation changed in the job market?

As of 2023, one in five people in Ukraine is aged over 65. This striking fact, confirmed by the United Nations Population Fund data, indicates a serious challenge for the contemporary job market and society as a whole.

Population aging is a new reality faced by the entire world. However, our country feels this particularly acutely. War, mobilization, emigration, and demographic crisis intensify the problem and give rise to many related issues. Ageism is just one aspect that requires a new understanding and systemic solutions.

We discussed manifestations of age discrimination in Ukraine and its impact on job seekers and the current job market with Olena Kutsokon, Head of Recruitment at Smart Solutions.

The impact of war on society’s attitude toward ageism. 

Let’s start by defining what ageism is. It is a form of discrimination based on a person’s age. It can manifest in various aspects of life, including employment. For instance, it can be seen through job rejections, limitations in career advancement opportunities, reduced access to professional training, wage constraints, and more.

It would be nice to say that ageism doesn’t exist in Ukraine, but the job market is a complex mechanism with established patterns and trends. Unfortunately, the age of workers remains one of the primary criteria for recruiters.

There is a widespread belief that middle-aged individuals are less productive, motivated, less capable of learning, and adapting quickly compared to younger workers. These stereotypes often lead to unjust professional restrictions.

“At present, one of the key reasons for changes in the job market is a significant shortage of workforce. This shortage is particularly acute in professions that require a physical presence at the workplace. Faced with a talent shortage, employers are forced to reconsider their recruiting approaches. Specifically, they become more loyal to older candidates, understanding that the experience and knowledge of these individuals can maintain their competitiveness. Initiatives for special internships are also emerging sporadically in large companies. However, this is more of an exception than a trend,” – says Olena Kutsokon.

Why should companies change in the current political and economic situation?

The full-scale invasion has created numerous challenges. Obviously, we won’t return to pre-war conditions in the job market anytime soon due to the outflow of talents abroad and the damage inflicted on our country. Therefore, ageism is a problem that, in today’s realities, we cannot afford to ignore.

Over the last two years, the total population has decreased to 36.7 million people. According to border guards’ data, approximately 40,000 citizens permanently leave the country every month. This trend requires the development of new personnel management strategies, including a reassessment of biases towards workers of different ages.

“To address ageism issues, all stakeholders in the job market need to be involved: employers, the government, and job seekers. Each can contribute in their own way and also assist others in highlighting problematic areas to collectively work on improving the situation. The number one task is to integrate this mindset into society,” – says Olena Kutsokon.

It is necessary to promote the idea that age is not a drawback for a professional but a complex of values: experience, expertise, opportunities for knowledge transfer, and more.

These trends should be primarily set by the state. For example, implementing incentive programs, preferential taxation for businesses employing individuals from specific age groups, or launching publicly accessible state programs for continuous education and retraining.

More on this can be found on the 24th channel’s page.