Shrinking job options for seniors | Letters - The Star Online

I REFER to “Help seniors get jobs” (The Star, Dec 24). Although I sympathise with people who need an income post-retirement, companies are not charities. 

Photo: The Star Online

The reality is that many companies are finding that the bottomline is shrinking due to competition and higher costs. As such, we may not be able to change the retirement age or force companies to continue to employ people who may have passed the statutory retirement age.

Irrespective of what is going on in the world today, jobs remain the mainstay of income for the sustenance of the average human being. Privatisation, outsourcing and shared services allow jobs to cross borders at the snap of a finger. Let’s face it, the days of lifetime employment are over.

People are living longer and many jobs are being lost to robotics. There will be an ever increasing problem of an ageing population as well as a new generation of young workers who find it difficult to get jobs...

The Human Resources Develop­ment Fund under the Human Resources Ministry has a centre for retrenched workers. Perhaps they can initiate a special category for retired persons too.

Online job portals should consider having an initiative for seniors who are skilled and good in languages to offer their experience and service albeit at a lower cost.
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Source: The Star Online