Finland’s employment situation is challenging. According to Statistics Finland, there were 269,000 unemployed people in July, which is more than 43,000 higher than last year.
– Even though the employment situation is difficult regardless of age, it is particularly challenging for job seekers over 50, in addition to young people. This trend is concerning, as those already in the workforce possess a wealth of valuable work and life experience, says Minea Pyykönen, director at Pro.
Age discrimination affects increasingly many
According to Pyykönen, age discrimination is a real problem in Finland, and as a result, a significant amount of skills remains untapped in the labor market. Among respondents to Pro’s survey, 38 percent believe that age discrimination is the biggest obstacle to finding a job after turning 45. The survey included over 1,000 working individuals through the Norstat online panel.
As many as 68 percent of respondents feel that age negatively affects their job search.
– A 50-year-old employee still has a long way to go before retirement, and few are even thinking about retirement at that age. Research also shows that people over 55 have fewer sick days than parents with young children, Pyykönen notes.
As the population ages, Finland cannot leave thousands of experienced professionals outside the workforce.
– Extending careers and making use of skills is both an economic and a human issue, Pyykönen concludes.