Against a backdrop of talent shortages, discussions about the need to engage previously undervalued segments of the population, including older workers, are growing louder. In March 2024, the rating agency ACRA estimated the internal potential for additional labor supply on the Russian market at 7.5 million people, of whom 5 million are aged over 55. Surprised by the size of this “age reserve,” in June 2024, ACRA, in collaboration with Strategy Partners, conducted a new study on how Russian companies attract older employees.

The findings revealed that companies most often approach this as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR). The study analyzed 12 quantitative and qualitative indicators reflecting companies’ social responsibility in human resource management, including publicly disclosed practices for supporting and employing older workers. The sample included 42 companies from the first quotation list of the Moscow Exchange that had published public non-financial reports for 2022 (2023 reports were not yet available at the time).

The document review revealed a contradictory picture: over 70% of the studied companies (31 out of 42) had already outlined measures in their policies aimed at ensuring equal rights and opportunities, as well as combating discrimination, including age-based discrimination. These initiatives are enshrined in codes of corporate ethics, human rights policies, diversity and inclusion (D&I) policies, and sustainability strategies. However, only three companies from the sample provided information in their non-financial reports about actual practices in this area. The vast majority did not include this topic on their list of key priorities.

“Vedomosti” decided to investigate why this is the case, what employers value in older employees, under what circumstances they hire them, and what concerns they have.

The Harsh Necessity
Since Russian legislation lacks a clear definition of “older employees,” companies decide for themselves. The ACRA and Strategy Partners study showed that 85% of companies consider employees aged 50+ as “older,” while the remaining 15% define the threshold as 55+, which aligns with the International Labour Organization’s classification.

The need to engage older individuals in the economy was discussed by experts as early as the 2000s, says Alexander Safonov, professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation. Firstly, average life expectancy in Russia began to rise rapidly: from 65.3 years in 2000 to 72.7 years in 2022 (with an expected 73.4 years in 2023). The number of active seniors in society is growing. Notably, life expectancy for men has increased significantly—from 59.03 to 67.5 years (latest data for 2022)—while for women it rose from 72.7 to 77.7 years. Secondly, it gradually became clear that there are many professions where attracting younger generations is now difficult—roles requiring substantial investment of time and effort for skill development but offering modest pay, such as general practitioners or teachers, adds Safonov.<…>

The Challenge of Self-Ageism
Older individuals often experience diminished self-esteem and growing self-doubt. Recruiters refer to this phenomenon as “self-ageism,” notes Anna Burova, an independent potential development consultant and author of the book “Career 50+: Rewriting the Story”. It arises when candidates receive no responses to their resumes and immediately conclude it’s due to their age. In reality, there could be a thousand reasons, with age being the last among them. Perhaps the resume was poorly formatted, sent to the wrong contact, or the experience was described in a dull and uninteresting way, explains Burova.

For more details, see the source: “Vedomosti,” July 9, 2024, “70% of Russian companies declare a fight against age discrimination in their policies.”

Anna Burova comments further on this pressing issue:

“There is no reliable research confirming that candidates of a certain age begin to lack specific competencies. Among 60-year-olds, just as among 30-year-olds, there are individuals with better programming skills and others with stronger analytical competencies. Moreover, if you look at who holds the role of IT Director, you will likely see individuals over 50 and even over 60.

The notion that older candidates become inflexible and unable to adapt is a typical example of ageism. Currently, two main types of age discrimination against those over 50 are observed worldwide. The first is prejudice from employers and society at large. Incidentally, companies are beginning to understand that in the near future, workers aged 55+ will be a valuable resource, as the pool of younger candidates shrinks.

Recently, a 35-year-old manager enthusiastically mentioned that ‘even old ladies’ work at their company. When I inquired about the age of these ‘old ladies,’ I was told – ‘well, they must be 55-60.’ These were my peers. I am confident that if this manager interviewed candidates without considering age, he would discover many talents for the company.

The second type of ageism is self-ageism. Even those not yet 50 begin to create mental barriers for themselves, denying their own proactivity, development, and potential for career advancement. During career consultations we provide as part of outplacement services, overcoming self-ageism requires significant effort from our consultants.

Candidates who receive no responses to their resumes immediately conclude it’s due to their age. Meanwhile, there could be a thousand other reasons, with age being the 1001st. The resume may lack a clear career objective, be poorly formatted, sent to the wrong address, or describe experience in a dull and uninteresting way.
A candidate aged 50+ gets no responses, their enthusiasm dims, and the employer interprets this as a lack of passion. The chain that began with self-ageism becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

There is a range of psychological factors to consider in the second half of one’s career for those planning to remain in demand. However, the manifestation of these factors is not determined by one’s exact date of birth. Candidates aged 50+, like all people, are diverse.”

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