The contradiction is striking: as the population ages and working lives are extended, older workers are increasingly pushed to the margins of employment.
Like the rest of Europe, Greece is facing a demographic shift. The workforce is getting older, and more retirees are returning to work, either out of choice or necessity. Yet this reality clashes with everyday practices in hiring and firing. Age-based discrimination, while formally outlawed, continues to shape employment outcomes—often quietly, but decisively.
Data from Greece’s ERGANI employment information system reveal a troubling pattern. Workers aged 45 to 64 account for the highest number of layoffs in the private sector. In October alone, approximately 130,000 workers in this age group lost their jobs, while only around 84,000 were hired. This gap—nearly 45,000 more dismissals than recruitments—was the widest among all age categories. The same trend continued in November and December, confirming that older workers bear the brunt of job losses.
This is happening at a time when Greece, like much of Europe, faces labor shortages in key sectors. Instead of capitalizing on experience and institutional knowledge, the labor market appears to sideline precisely those workers who could help bridge the gap.
The problem is not only structural but also cultural. Age-related stereotypes remain deeply ingrained. Older workers are often perceived as less adaptable, less willing to learn new skills, or less innovative—assumptions that persist despite evidence to the contrary. These perceptions affect not only hiring decisions but also opportunities for training, career progression, and retention.
Ironically, Greek employers themselves acknowledge the value of age diversity. According to the most recent Randstad Workmonitor 2026 survey, all employers in Greece—100 percent—say that employing people from different generations is an asset to their business, a higher figure than the global average. They recognize that intergenerational collaboration can boost productivity, stability, and problem-solving.
Employees, however, appear more hesitant. Sixty-eight percent of Greek workers and jobseekers say they rely on people from different generations to broaden their perspectives, compared with a global average of 74 percent. This gap suggests that while businesses publicly embrace the idea of age diversity, everyday workplace culture may lag behind.
Greece’s experience highlights a broader dilemma: the pressure to work longer collides with a labor market that is reluctant to retain or hire older workers. As retirement ages rise and life expectancy increases, this mismatch risks deepening social inequality and wasting valuable human capital.
If Greece is to address future labor shortages and ensure social cohesion, tackling ageism will be essential. This means not only enforcing anti-discrimination laws but also challenging stereotypes, redesigning recruitment practices, and creating workplaces where experience is seen not as a liability, but as an advantage.
