Effective use of the second demographic dividend (the case of the Komi Republic)

The article considers the issues related to the implementation of the elderly population’s resource potential in the field of labor, assesses the level and nature of employment of pensioners as an opportunity to use the second demographic dividend in an ageing population. The information base includes the official data of Rosstat and the results of three sociological surveys conducted in 2013, 2018 and 2023. The authors assessed the level and type of working pensioners’ labor activity in the context of active longevity policy implementation, suspension of pension indexation for working pensioners and gradual increase of the retirement age. It was found that the decline in the employment level of pensioners, which began after the suspension of pension indexation, continued after the start of the increase in the retirement age. In comparison with 2015, the employment of retired people in Russia and Komi Republic has decreased more than twice. Against the background of the decrease in employment, the reserve of the labor potential of older people in 2023 is a little more than 10% in Komi, which is also confirmed by the results of studies in 2013 and 2018. This indicates a decrease in the labor potential of the population above working age, which is a consequence of the long-term suspension of pension indexation for working pensioners. At the same time, the type of employment of older people has become more effective: more retired people are working at their former jobs on a full-time or part-time basis, since the policy of active longevity and raising the retirement age has reduced age discrimination in the domestic labor market. However, this is mainly the case for young retirees, older workers continue to be displaced from their jobs as they age. The desire of retired people to continue working, prevails only until age 65, as well as it was 10 years ago. In the context of the growing economic challenges of demographic ageing, society should focus on fully utilizing the work potential of the older population in order to reap the second demographic dividend. The forthcoming resumption of indexation of insurance pensions for working pensioners will contribute to the growth of the labor potential and stimulate the increase in employment of “middle” age pensioners.