2024-02-12 18:48:38
A recent report from the Labor Observatory of the Universidad del Rosario reveals that in Colombia, six out of ten independent workers are people over 60 years of age. This figure highlights the growing participation of this demographic in employer roles or self-employment, significantly exceeding the proportion nationally.
Andrés García-Suaza, researcher at the Labor Observatory, points out that this older population has a prominent presence in sectors such as agriculture and commerce, where salaries are relatively low and informality rates are high. The report, titled “Challenges and opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship in older adults,” highlights that older adults show an independent participation of 63.5%, compared to 34.7% at the national level.
The study suggests that this trend reflects the growing independence of older adults, possibly driven by the desire for flexibility offered by microbusinesses or the limited labor inclusion of this group by the productive sector.
According to Diana Mena, another author of the report, self-employed older adults are mostly involved in industries such as agriculture and commerce, facing modest salaries and high levels of informality. Mena highlights that these people value independence, but they also point out the lack of job opportunities as employees, underscoring the importance of both employment and entrepreneurship programs.
The report reveals that, according to the analysis of the five main cities in the country, 38.2% of older adults choose to be independent due to their desire for greater autonomy, while 25.3% do so due to a self-perception Negative of his age. Only 10% declare doing so with the objective of entrepreneurship.
Julieth Ríos, author of the report, highlights that the main reasons why older people do not find work are health problems and family responsibilities, the latter being more prevalent in older women.
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Challenges include technological barriers and adaptability to change, according to Andrés García-Suaza, who suggests that training and greater awareness of employment programs for older people could improve their insertion into the labor market.
In response to these findings, Andrea Ávila, dean of the Faculty of Entrepreneurship at the Universidad del Rosario, announces that the institution is designing programs to reduce the productivity gaps of older people, with the goal of implementing specific strategies in 2024.
The report highlights the need to address income generation opportunities for the growing population of seniors in Colombia, where currently only 21.8% of the senior population is pensioned, evidencing the urgency of specific and differentiated measures at the national level. regional and gender.
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