“Eurofound found that better jobs significantly improve quality of life. Higher job quality also leads to better productivity, largely due to motivation.”
This was the core conclusion of the presentation of Agnes Parent-Thirion, the key-note speaker at the SYNCLUSIVE Mid-Term Symposium, held in September 18, 2025 in Brussels.
SYNCLUSIVE is a Horizon Europe-supported initiative, focused on labour market inclusion of vulnerable groups.
The Mid-Term Symposium gathered over 60 participants online and in person, with the personal presence of representatives of the European Commission, among which Irma Borde from DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion and Pilar González from DG Research and Innovation.
“Subsidies help, but must fit the regional context, requiring central-regional interaction”, Stephan van Strien from Amersfoort municipality, The Netherlands, summarized the main challenge in labour market inclusion of vulnerable groups.
The Mid-Term Symposium continued with parallel online webinars. Slavyanka Ivanova, senior analyst at ARC Fund, presented new insights into the drivers and barriers for vulnerable people aged 50+ to (re)enter the labour market. She outlined several types of factors influencing the labour market inclusion of people in silver age:
- Labour market dynamics, incl. fast technological change, shifting work principles, skills mismatch and business bankruptcy;
- Work place relationships and culture, incl. work ethics, professional versus personal approach, age and health discrimination, support for employees’ development;
- Individual factors, as motivation and experience, health conditions, social isolation, lack of life changes and low incomes, and specific attitudes like fear of the new.
Networking with peers to exchange relevant labour market information; socializing at targeted events, to improve the mental health; and peer learning during tailored trainings organized by local coalitions, are among the most successful strategies for labour market inclusion of people over 50 years of age.
“Companies want to retain older workers but are reluctant to hire new ones. Some ask: why train older people if employers won’t hire them? The answer: employers will, if the skills are there”, concluded Prof. Per Jensen from Roskilde University, Denmark.
Photo credit: Sofia Development Association
