The results of a two-year project funded by the Human Resources Development OP were presented at a press conference today
"Usually employers and trade unions have opposite positions and social dialogue often turns into a dispute, but when it comes to the qualification of staff, the opportunities for different generations to take the best from each other and the work path to be less obstacles for all, then employers and unions are on the same team."
This was said today (November 30, 2021) by the Vice President of BIA Stanislav Popdonchev during a press conference to present the results of the project "Joint actions of the social partners for adapting the working environment to the specific ageing needs of different generations with the aim to promote a longer working life and workability", funded by the Operational Programme Human Resources Development. The project started at the end of 2019. The Bulgarian Industrial Association is a beneficiary and CITUB is a project partner.
"As always, BIA tackles difficult problems for our society, such as the demographic situation, and it is complex. It is a phenomenon that other European countries are facing as well, and this is mainly due to the improvement of living conditions worldwide, and hence - the increase in life expectancy. The situation in our country is further complicated by the migration flows over the last 20-30 years of young and educated people. We must not accept the aging of the population as something negative, but rather it is a hidden resource that we need to stimulate and use in the current conditions. That is why it is very important to find the most appropriate approach in solving this task, because a large part of the elderly population in Bulgaria lacks some of the modern skills that are needed to feel part of the workforce. Such are, for example, digital skills, which is a great challenge for older people," said Dr. Tsvetan Spasov - Head of the Managing Authority of OP Human Resources Development, Director General of the Directorate European Funds, International Programs and projects in MLSP. He announced that for the next programming period under OP "Human Resources Development" are provided about BGN 400 million for the development of specific skills and, in particular - digital skills. Another BGN 400 million are provided for the same purposes under the National Recovery and Sustainability Plan. Dr. Spasov reminded that in 2000, 100 people leaving the labor market were replaced by 124 new people, and today there are 64 substitutes per 100 people leaving the labor market, which in the next 30-40 years will further aggravate the situation on the labor market. "Therefore, we must work to prolong working life," said the representative of the MLSP.
According to the Vice President of CITUB, Dr. Ivan Kokalov, “there is not only a life, but also an economic and social effect of prolonging the working life of the people. What BIA has produced under this project will be of practical use not only for the managers, but also for the employees in the teams”.
"Every fourth person in Bulgaria has hypertension. Unfortunately, this is already happening to younger people. I propose to study whether health affects intergenerational differences. We conducted surveys with over 350 recipients and the results of these surveys are an opportunity to continue the project. It turned out that the occupational medicine services, whose main task is prevention and prophylaxis, unfortunately, do not fully fulfill their commitments, so we have a lot of proposals for legislative changes in this direction," said Prof. Dr. Zlatitsa Petrova from Medical University - Sofia, who was part of the project team.
The project presented today is aimed at the so-called Silver economy and aims to adapt jobs to the needs of employees over the age of 54. For two years, the project team carried out a series of activities, including:
- Developed and introduced sectorial programs and memoranda for cooperation between the social partners in 12 economic sectors.
- Developed and accepted by the social partners 5 projects for amendment and supplementation of the branch collective labor agreements.
- Held 14 sectorial meetings for exchange of good practices and experience, with over 200 participants.
- Informed and consulted representatives of the management of 140 companies.
- Approved and implemented at the enterprise level 140 corporate programs, covering measures in the field of active aging and intergenerational cooperation.
- Conducted 120 receptions on the territory of the enterprises, consulted and assisted over 600 workers and employees.
- Trained and certified over 700 managers, specialists and representatives of employees by conducting 22 online courses and webinars in the areas of: management of generational differences; mentoring and generational approach; tools for adapting workplaces to people with chronic diseases.
A significant part of the work on the project was the four conducted surveys, several developed manuals and practical e-tools.
"Bulgaria follows the unfavorable demographic trends in Europe and the world, but due to the intensity and specificity of the processes, we rank among the first places in terms of population loss and aging of the workforce. Every year the labor force decreases by 40-60 thousand people. In the last 15 years the economic activity and employment of persons of pre-retirement and retirement age in Bulgaria has increased significantly and is the highest compared to all other age groups. In 2019 in Bulgaria 55% of men and 44% of women aged 55-74 are economically active", said Dr. Tomcho Tomov - Director of the National Competence Assessment Center. He stressed that a significant proportion of people of working age (mostly over 40) have chronic diseases. The most common are arterial hypertension (22%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - COPD (10%), diabetes (8.2%). People with chronic illnesses and their relatives who care for them informally face serious difficulties in accessing the labor market or staying in work. This leads to financial difficulties, social exclusion, deteriorating health and a growing need for medical care.
"The utilization of "silver human capital "requires more effective and purposeful actions by the state and employers," said Tomcho Tomov. He also presented the main measures that BIA will insist on:
- Modernization of labor legislation;
- Resource-provided measures for mobility and reintegration of able-bodied people over 50;
- Introduction of partial retirement and retention of employment through a contract for training of younger workers;
- Tax relief and subsidies for hiring workers over 58;
- State co-financing of mentors in enterprises;
- Normative regulation of the sectorial qualification funds.
