PM Lee urges employers to be "open-minded", hire more older workers

But the skills mismatch needs to be fixed first.

Hiring more older workers is the solution for Singapore-based companies which are struggling with the city-state’s extremely tight labour market, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in his May Day speech.

“I ask the employers please be open-minded. You are looking for workers but there are not enough workers. So many towkays tell me, I have the business, I cannot find the workers, please give me more workers but actually there are some more workers out there,” he said.

PM Lee added that the government is particularly concerned about the continued retrenchment of older workers, particularly those at the PMET (professionals, managers, engineers and technicians) level.

He acknowledged that some older workers are having difficulty finding new jobs because of a mismatch of skills and expectations, but stressed that the government is working equip older employees with new skills.

Professional Conversion Program (PCP), and the Place and Train Program, which helps workers go for a course and learn new skills before fitting a new job.

“The message to the companies, please give a chance to these workers, especially those who are changing jobs. Their knowledge may not be specific to the industry or to the company but they have developed other useful skills. They have some grey hair, but grey hair is not bad because you are more mature, you are more stable, you can mentor the younger ones, guide them when people have emotional problems, family problems, they can help and they are serious minded. Help them, give them a chance, help your workers to upgrade and then your business will do even better,” he said.