Older workers: key to solving the skills shortage!

Older workers: key to solving the skills shortage!

On June 17, 2025, the DGB Rhineland-Palatinate/Saarland presented the new brochure “Valuable Resources – Older People in Working Life” at a press conference. In view of the shortage of skilled workers, the importance of older employees in the second phase of life is emphasized here. According to Rheinland-Pfalz-Saarland DGB, almost two thirds of people over 55 who care for relatives receive little or no support from their employers. This not only represents a challenge for those affected individually, but also has an impact on the entire workforce.

The majority of carers are women, and over a third of those over 55 now only work part-time. This development is also reflected in the statements that 44 percent of employees in Rhineland-Palatinate are unable to take advantage of any or only limited further training opportunities in their companies. Over half of older employees say that operational stress and the lack of opportunities prevent them from pursuing further training.

The challenges of demographic change

The age structure of the workforce in Germany is changing significantly due to demographic change. As Bildungsspiegel notes, the baby boomer generation is reaching retirement age, which is further exacerbating the shortage of skilled workers. The 2023 microcensus shows that 44 percent of bus and tram drivers are at least 55 years old, and sectors such as transport, construction and healthcare are also severely affected.

In the brochure, Susanne Wingertszahn, chairwoman of the DGB RLP/SL, explains the need to actively involve older employees in the digitalization processes. The challenges of transforming the economy and the need to create better working conditions to support work-life balance in home care are considered urgent. Reference is also made to the high proportion of older employees in critical professions, such as freight transport and geriatric care, where almost a third of employees are 55 years or older.

Further education and health promotion

According to BW Pat, the key to dealing with the situation lies in investing. What is needed is not only attractive further training opportunities, but also older workers who can be better integrated into their companies. The idea that older employees are a valuable resource is more in demand than ever as the workforce ages. However, these initiatives often fail due to stereotypes and discrimination that need to be overcome.

Wingertszahn calls for targeted prevention and rehabilitation measures to take effect at an early stage in order to offer older employees more support. In addition, the development of age-appropriate working time models is essential in order to improve the situation for all employees as digitalization advances.

In summary, the presentation of the brochure shows that the integration of older workers is not only a social necessity, but also a business necessity. This is about more than just retaining workers; it is a question of the advertising future of the world of work. The use of older employees could help to sustainably alleviate the shortage of skilled workers and at the same time be beneficial for everyone involved.