Demographic Changes as a Challenge to Human ResourcesManagement

Recent years have brought a marked increase in the interest connected with an increase of professional activity of elder people. It results from demographic changes the effect of which is an ongoing process of ageing of European societies The occurrence of ageing of the population carries a lot of negative consequences not only in the form of changes of the increase in age structure of population of people belonging to the oldest age categories. Since it influences ageing of resources found in the labour market and also is not indifferent to pension schemes or educational system. Characteristic phenomenon of the Polish labour market occurring with a large intensity in recent years has been the process of professional deactivation of labour resources in elder age groups (people above 45 year old), which results most of all from: the lack of qualifications and professional skills among older people compared to current demands of labour markets; discriminatory conduct of employers towards elder workers; easy access to early retirement and pre-retirement benefits. Due to shrinking of economically active population in younger age categories employers will be forced to active actions in favour of keeping older workers or appoint them to vacancies (Dychtwald, Erickson & Morison, 2004, pp. 48– 57, Tempest, Barnatt, & Coupland, 2002, pp. 475–492) The aim of this article is to indicate the areas of necessary changes in human resources management in order notice the values and use the potential of elder employees.