우리나라는 2000년에 이미 65세 이상 인구가 7%가 넘는 고령화 사회(aging society)에 진입했다. 2018년에 14%가 넘는 고령 사회(aged society)를 거쳐 2026년에는 20%가 넘는 초고령 사회(post-aged society)로 진입할 것으로 예상된다. 이는 여타 국가의 그것보다 대단히 빠른 속도이다. 고령화는 사회적, 경제적, 복지적 측면 등에서 다양한 문제를 양산한다. 이러한 고령화 문제의 기저에는 고령자의 경제적 빈곤이 자리한다. 특히 우리나라 고령층 빈곤율은 OECD 평균에 비해 무려 3배 이상 높다. 고령화 진행속도에 대응되는 정책마련이 부재한 상태에서 고령화를 맞이하게 됨으로써 사회적비용이 가중되고 있다. 고령인구 중에는 전문성을 가지고 있는 다양한 인력이 존재하고 있으나, 이를 사장시킴으로써 발생되는 비용 또한 사회적비용이라고 볼 수 있다. 이외에도 가장 이슈가 되는 문제는 노후대책이 부재한 상태에서 맞게 되는 실업상태라고 볼 수 있다. 이러한 문제점을 해결하기 위한 정부의 다양한 정책이 제시되고 있으나, 이는 주로 지속가능한 문제해결 방안은 아니다. 따라서 초고령화 사회로의 진입이 시작된 우리나라의 고령인구에 대한 구체적이고 현실적인 대안 마련이 필요한 실정이다. 본 연구는 이러한 문제인식을 바탕으로 설문조사를 통하여 우리나라의 고령인구의 실질적인 문제점을 파악하였으며, 또한 고령인구가 직업시장에 진입하는데 가장 일선에서 기능을 하고 있는 인사담당자를 대상으로 고령자 취업에 관한 설문조사를 실시하였다. 조사결과를 토대로 우리나라 고령인구의 사회적 문제점을 진단하고 이를 바탕으로 정책적 대안을 제시하였다. 제시된 주요 대안은 노인이 노인을 돕는 일자리창출, 사회적기업을 통한 취업지원, 고령자 본인들과 기업 인식개선의 필요성, 현실성 있는 취업지원 교육프로그램 발굴, 임금문제 개선, 정년연장의 문제점 해결방안, 임금피크제의 개선방안 등이다
According to advanced age society division by the UN, aging society elderly population’s ratio when whole population’s 7%, advanced aged society passes over 14% mean. Korea has entered into the aging society and high aging society are expected in 2016. And further average lifespan is anticipated as becoming higher because of developments of medicines and life science. So, the elderly will have longer aging periods than now, and it would require great economic burdens to them, and thus the time of having to deal with such matter socially, economically, and politically by exceeding elderly own or social responsibilities.
The issue of elderly people also has come to the fore as the core of national welfare policy which must be settled down from the aspect of socio-economy of nation, business entities, and individuals. Therefore, systematic supports as well as the conversion of recognition are necessary for the employment of elderly people.
This research was started to study the application of the increasing elderly workers due to Korea’s rapid progress into an aging society. For the research, various academic journals, books and internet materials were studied in order to look in to the phenomenon, tendency, and problems of today’s aging society. Also, a survey was conducted in order to analyze the causes behind the barriers of elderly employment.
The survey was on the barriers and requirements of elderly employment and there were additional questions regarding job finding activities of the elderly. There were also additional questions for the human resource directors about their experiences of elderly employment and its results. By combining the answers of the questions asked both to laborers and managers, the differences in their opinions regarding the awareness and barriers of employment were understood. Also, several ways for improvements were explored.
Shortage of jobs, social prejudice and lack of preparation of the elderly shared a great part of the barriers of employment. Unlike other researches, the elderly considered not only the external factors but the elderly themselves as a big problem.
The most important alternative was to bring change in the perception of the elderly and companies. A governmental program for such enlightenment and the effectiveness of promoting such programs are discussed. Moreover, the vitalization of large social enterprises that has big opportunities for providing jobs such as a job where the elderly works for elderly related jobs or a private-oriented job was suggested as the alternative for the lack of jobs which had the biggest share among the barriers for employment.
Since there is a need for the elderly to become an attractive employee to the companies, the suggestion was to let the companies to directly supervise the workers and manage the program to guarantee sustainable and effective employment instead of the ineffective educational institutions and programs that is currently provided with the government as its main agent.
In addition, governmental institutions for the elderly and their vocational training are continuously being established but most of the elderly and companies have very low awareness of such programs. Thus, the need of an active promoting program angled towards the elderly is suggested.
Finally, the problem regarding the application of elderly workers will act as a basis for further development after following several steps focused on bringing change in the perception of the government, company and the elderly themselves. There should be constant efforts of the elderly, the company should appreciate the elderly as an important work force in preparation for the future manpower shortage and the government should provide support to mediate between the elderly workers and companies.