What Is Silver Potential and Why Is Ageism Harmful to Businesses?

Today, older people constitute one third of Ukraine’s population. According to Opendatabot, the average pension in the country is UAH 6,300, but one third receives the minimum payment of UAH 3,300, while 28% of retired people continue working.

Though older people are often ambitious, active, and motivated, they still face ageism.

They volunteer. In Ukraine, there is a volunteer movement called “Grandmothers for the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” which makes orthopedic pillows, helmet covers, rugs, underwear, and warm clothing to support the military. Some joined from the first days of the full-scale invasion, while others have been helping since 2014. This phenomenon highlights the concept of “silver volunteering” — the voluntary and unpaid participation of older people in activities that contribute to solving social problems.

They have hobbies and seek networking and options for active leisure. The Enjoying Life space gives the project’s participants an opportunity to communicate, do yoga, dance, play sports, play chess, or participate in theater groups. The Ukrainian Book of Records lists the oldest cheerleading team from Kharkiv, Nice Ladies, whose members are aged 50–75.

For older people, work is an opportunity to earn extra income despite small pensions and improve their standard of living, as well as feel important. At the same time, for businesses, these people are a valuable resource having potential and a way to influence and demonstrate their engagement. After all, it is not only about knowledge, skills, and experience, but also about the challenges of the Ukrainian labor market, in particular, population aging and personnel shortage.

How do businesses help older people find employment?

• Oberemky and the Flowers of Goodness project is a charitable subscription service for home-grown flowers from retired people in the de-occupied communities of Bucha and Fastiv districts, which the team’s florists arrange into bouquets and sell at events. The profits go back to people growing flowers, with each receiving an average of up to UAH 4,000 in financial support.

• Vbrani is a social enterprise that engages craftswomen from geriatric nursing homes to create stylish knitted items: handmade sweaters, accessories, waist bags, and aprons with ethnic motifs.

• Gudzyk is a brand of accessories, bags, cases, and wallets made of eco-felt by older women. The project’s mission is to unite generations and create a community where age does not matter.

• The Enjoying Life charity foundation, within its Enjoying Life: Work project, engages Ukrainian companies to support older people and helps them gain knowledge, learn new professions, and find jobs for older experts. Every year, the team launches the Adult Intern Week initiative, in which businesses participate and offer paid internships to employees aged 50+.

We talked to the head of the Enjoying Life: Work project Tetiana Frolova to find out how the project has changed attitudes to older people in the Ukrainian labor market over the past seven years and what benefits businesses that join the initiative receive.

Enjoying Life: Work story: How the project creates a new social trend among Ukrainian employers?

While five years ago, only 20–30 companies that we found ourselves joined the project, a year ago we received about 300 applications from businesses that wanted to hire older employees.

However, despite the growing number of applications, we  rejected many companies because ageism still exists. Many of them believe that if a person is aged 50+, they can work as a concierge or in a cleaning service, without even considering the option of office work. We continue to work on this and make the change.

When our candidates fill out questionnaires, 80% of them have a fairly good level of English or other languages and higher education — that is, the majority are the target audience looking for office work. Sometimes, our candidates are suitable for the positions, but their skills exceed expectations, and companies are unable to provide them with an appropriate pay level.

The audience of the Enjoying Life: Work project includes people actively looking for a job and willing to learn. Every week, we hold educational events, i.e., workshops, lectures, and training sessions. Our coworking spaces can accommodate about 50 people, and registration closes literally an hour after the announcement. Enrollment for English courses closes in 5 minutes.

Enjoying Life: Work + businesses: Cases to be proud of

• Thanks to our collaboration with DAN.IT education and UNITY-BARS, several project participants studied IT and started working in the sector.
• One of the companies found an accountant in just a week of searching.
• We have a collaboration with a driving school that was ready to teach five people to drive, and all applicants had to write a motivation letter. Within an hour, we had 50 registrations.
• During our collaboration with Atom Online University, we received approximately 700 applications for 21 places. We, therefore, had to organize entrance exams. In addition, three people with no experience received scholarships, successfully studied IT and recruiting, and are now working successfully.
• Last year, we offered a new format — speed dating with employers. Sense Bank was the first to test it with us: 12 positions were opened in IT, HR, accounting, and security. We invited 33 candidates who responded, and on the same day, 12 people received their job offers. They have already been working in their positions for a year.
• Coca-Cola HBC held lectures for project participants on how to write a CV without intending to hire anyone. However, as the company received their CVs, one of the participants received an offer.

On interaction formats and plans for the future

The first area is working with the target audience. Our database is constantly updated: Usually, people receive our support for 3–6 months and find a job. We constantly make announcements and attract new candidates.

We also hold career marathons, where we teach job search tools: writing resumes, cover letters, and motivation letters, as well as passing interviews. Twice a year, the Enjoying Life: Work Academy is held — the most active participants receive career advice and bonuses, and almost all of them find employment within a month.

The second area of our work is interacting with the companies we involve. We post their job openings, but we’re not a staffing agency and don’t look for people on request. It is important to us that our work is respected.

Currently, demand exceeds supply. Companies are interested as they are lacking personnel. So, we plan to continue working and training new people who join us and to cooperate with businesses even more.