SOCIAL AND LABOR POTENTIAL OF RETIRED BY AGE PEOPLE: PERCEPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION IN DEMOGRAPHIC AGING CONTEXT

Abstract

Introduction. The activation of the population of post-working age, who have the desire and ability to work, is today one of the important reserves of the country's human potential. The article substantiates the use of the category of social and labor potential of representatives of the third age for the analysis of socio-gerontological problems, taking into account the changes occurring in the labor market - the personnel shortage in an aging society. It has been shown that the success of realizing the potential of old-age retired people depends not only on the internal resources of older people, but also on external factors - socio-structural, integration, socio-cultural.

Materials and methods. The article presents the results of sociological research conducted using the questionnaire survey method in 2009 and 2024 (N – 1600) , with the aim of studying the problematic field of realizing the social and labor potential of pensioners by age through determining the current image of an elderly worker, socio-gerontological stereotypes in the professional and business sphere, which made it possible to establish the logic of the development of the situation and the direction of changes in this aspect.

Results and conclusions. The formation of a positive trend in the respondents' opinions about older workers was established. A more pronounced decrease in negative ideas about older workers than the growth of positive views indicates some decrease in the influence of negative socio-gerontological stereotypes over the period under study. The authors attribute the obtained results to the aging of society, a higher level of education of new retirees, as well as social transformations of society, its stabilization and strengthening of the trend of traditionalism. At the same time, Negative judgments are still popular. The greatest positive changes in the social reading of the social and labor potential of older workers were recorded in the group of respondents aged 18-25, which indicates the need of young people for help and support from older colleagues.

Discussion. The article emphasizes that in modern Russian society there remains a pronounced ambivalence of opinions on issues of attitudes towards the older generation, especially in the professional and business sphere. Despite the decrease in negative assessments of the activities of older workers, ambivalence and inconsistency in assessments of the social and labor potential of pensioners remain in public opinion. The trends identified by the authors may have a positive impact on the integration and reintegration into the work environment of retired people who wish to continue their professional activities.