Labor shortage, mass external migration, and military challenges have significantly changed the structure of the Ukrainian labor market. About how the attitude towards workers aged 55+ is transforming and whether this generation can become the backbone of the economy, Ella Libanova, academician of the NAS of Ukraine and director of the Mykhailo Ptukha Institute of Demography and Social Studies of NAS of Ukraine, told RBC-Ukraine in an interview.
According to the scientist, today employers increasingly turn to older workers, especially in the industries of manufacturing, construction, transport, and agriculture. In the context of mobilization and the outflow of younger personnel, men aged 60+ have become one of the most in-demand categories in the labor market. At the same time, structural barriers remain in the service and creative sectors that limit the participation of older workers in front-office and client-oriented roles.
Ella Libanova emphasizes that modern ageism in Ukraine manifests itself not so much in the form of direct discrimination as through employment segmentation: older people are willingly involved in stabilizing and operational functions, but less often in strategic or innovative directions. The researcher also draws attention to the phenomenon of "self-ageism," when members of the 55+ generation underestimate their own professional potential.
The interview separately addresses the issue of respect for working professions, the imbalance between the prestige of higher education and the needs of the economy, as well as the role of the older generation in forming the workforce for post-war recovery. According to the demographer, it is precisely older workers who can become a stabilizing factor for the economy and an "anchor" for the return of youth from abroad.
The scientist stresses that the study "Silver Economy of Ukraine: the potential of the 55+ generation" is intended to lay the groundwork for the transition from situational involvement of older workers to a long-term policy of age inclusion.