Workplace

Social dialogue: local and regional public sector must be made more attractive to young and elderly workers

The local and regional government sector needs to be made more attractive to both young and elderly workers in order to avoid labour shortages, encourage them to continue working and, more importantly, to diversify the range of skills available.

Such was the main conclusion of a webinar (online seminar) held on 28 February 2012 on recruitment and retention with a special focus on youth and elderly employment, these two age groups being the most vulnerable in the labour market, especially in times of crisis and austerity.

How to both recruit and retain a younger workforce?

Workshop participants agreed that, while there are jobs available in the local and regional government sector, they must be rendered more attractive and secure for young people in order to ensure that they truly commit to their work. Suggestions included offering more permanent and sustainable positions rather than simply trying to get young people into the labour market.

Moreover, young employees, much like their elders, must be provided with training sessions in order to build their competences. Employers should further empower both age groups by ensuring a transfer of knowledge from elderly to younger workers and by establishing career advancement opportunities. This can notably be further developed through structured social dialogue between local employers and trade union representatives.

How to hold on to the work experience of the elderly?

The local and regional government sector must encourage elderly workers to stay in the workplace, especially when considering the general ageing of the population currently underway in the whole of Europe. To do so, however, the elderly workforce needs to be given better incentives, such as improved working conditions, if they are to work longer.

Employers must also take the health of the workers into consideration and render the workplace more flexible and age-adapted, thus helping to eliminate age-discrimination.

The workshop was held in the framework of the social dialogue project on “The future of the workplace: providing quality jobs, modern and sustainable workplaces in local and regional government”. The project is headed by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU).

The next workshop, which is to discuss lifelong learning, training and skills development, will be held on 15 March 2012 in Brussels, Belgium.

First workshop on alternative funding mechanisms for the local and regional government sector