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Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Cyprus: Government Launches Campaign To Encourage Retaining Older Workers

Cyprus Labour Minister Soteroulla Charalambous, in launching the ministry’s "Grey Hair, Experienced Hands" campaign argues that older workers do not only have the right to employment but are also a fountain of knowledge and experience that can and should be utilised by businesses and organizations. “We want to put out the message that employment is for all,” she said.

According to press reports, the campaign campaign is in line with the EU’s Lisbon Strategy and "seeks to encourage the employment of older workers and lifelong learning, to create more and better quality job positions that ensure workers’ health and safety, better remuneration, more flexibility at work to allow better work-life balance, and to promote measures that allow older workers access to an increasingly competitive and changing job market."

While Cyprus far, Cyprus compares favourably in the 55-64 age bracket with an unemployment rate of just 3.1% as opposed to the EU-27’s 5.6%, like the rest of Europe, Cyprus faces a different labor market with an increasing ageing population, new technology and increased competition. In order to keep older workers active for longer, the ministry will, among other things, look improving the quality of employment for older workers, target workers and employers to spread the message that the 55-64 age bracket was a social group that was older and experienced and could enrich the economy, their own lives and businesses, and tackle unfair dismissal, discrimination, and stereotypes about older workers.

Source: Cyprus Mail "Campaign aims to battle ageism at work " (October 12, 2008)

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