The distance separating Greece from its countries remains enormous OECDthe EE and she Eurozone in your fields employment and she unemploymentbut also to find to work for young people.
Comparable data clearly shows that, in terms of employment, our country is at least 10 percentage points short of covering the distance that separates it from the average of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.
Even worse, the scissors open and reaches 15 units if the comparison is made with the EU and the eurozone.
Characteristic is the position of the Labor GC, Nikos Milapidis, who in his statement to “N” highlights the importance for a company’s market to include “the training of its employees in the context of its investments, if it wants to remain competitive”.
In turn, the well-known labor expert, Professor Alexis Mitropoulos, estimates that “the reduction in unemployment in our country is mainly based on the reduction in employment”.
In the area of unemployment, the single-digit rate that Greece has had since June cannot hide the distance that separates it from the OECD and the European Union.
In the first case, the unemployment in our country is almost doublewhile in relation to the European Union the difference reaches 4.5 points.
Especially if the comparison is made in relation to youth unemployment (15-24 years old), it appears that the difference is more than double the average for OECD countries and at least 8 units for EU countries. and the eurozone.
However, there is also a disparity in terms of employment between the two sexes, as well as differences that are twice as large compared to the OECD and the eurozone or the European Union.
The analysis of data on unemployment and employment indicators in Greece was carried out by the Union of Private Employment Companies (ENIDEA), which took the month of June this year as a comparison measure, as this way there may be corresponding data from the OECD indicators. , the European Union (EU) and the Euro Zone, according to Eurostat.
Challenges for young people and women
The employment rate in June this year, in the age group from 15 to 64 years old, in Greece is 62%, significantly lower than the OECD average (70.1%), in the EU. (75.2%) and the Euro Zone (75.2%).
This shows that Greece lags behind compared to other developed countrieshighlighting the need to boost employment through work support policies.
The participation of people aged 15 to 64 in the Greek labor market is 69.3%, slightly lower than the OECD (73.8%) and EU average. (75.2%).
This means that, despite the difficulties, a significant percentage of the population is active in the job market, but there is room for improvement, especially for women and young people.
THE global unemployment rate (over 15 years old) in Greece is 9.6%, which is almost double the OECD average (5%) and significantly higher than the EU. (6%) and the Euro Zone (6.5%).
Despite the decline in recent years, unemployment in Greece remains high, especially compared to other countries.
The youth unemployment rate (15-24 years old) in Greece is 22.5%, significantly higher than the OECD (10.9%), EU. (14.4%) and the Euro Zone (14.1%).
Despite the reduction, youth unemployment remains a serious problem, affecting economic growth and social cohesion.
The unemployment gap between men and women in Greece is 8.4%, significantly higher than the OECD average (4.7%), the EU. (5.8%) and the Euro Zone (6.2%).
This shows that women face disproportionately greater difficulties in the labor market, reinforcing the need for specific policies that promote equality at work.
From these elements challenges in the Greek labor market also arise, such as low participation and high unemployment, especially among young people and women.
Thus, specific policies that promote work integration, education and training and the creation of a more flexible and egalitarian work environment are returning to the fore, according to ENIDEA.
How the prospects of the Greek labor market will improve – What they declare in “N”
N. Milapidis, cg Work: matching skills and needs
In 5 years, unemployment fell from 17.5% to 9.5%. This is the largest reduction in unemployment in Europe and at the same time the lowest unemployment rate in the country since 2009. The employment figures are also encouraging and show that measures to increase employment and expand the workforce are bear fruit.
Jobs have increased by about 500,000 in the last 5 years, with about 260,000 more women and 70,000 more under 24s employed. As we approach the core of structural unemployment, it is more critical than ever to ensure that skills and market needs are perfectly matched.
Through active policies to boost employment, important objectives were achieved, as special emphasis is placed on training beneficiaries in green and digital skills.
Even more important is the role of the market itself. It is now clear that a modern company must include employee training in the context of its investments if it wants to remain competitive in a sustainable way, while the State must reinforce this effort through properly designed policies.
Al. Mitropoulos, labor expert: Difference between DYPA and ELSTAT
It is true that the overall unemployment rate has decreased significantly in our country in recent years. It is also true that for the third consecutive month, according to ELSTAT, the unemployment rate was reduced to less than 10%.
It is clear that in its sample surveys, ELSTAT, as it informs us every month, does not include in the unemployed lists those who work at least one hour a week (4 hours a month), as well as the long-term unemployed.
Of course, what concerns us researchers is the consistently large discrepancy in unemployment rates between DYPA and ELSTAT.
Thus, for the month of July 2024 the discrepancy between the two organizations is 8.53%, since ELSTAT announced 444,402 registered unemployed people (9.5% unemployment rate), while DYPA announced 843,542 registered unemployed people (9.5% unemployment rate). unemployment 18.3%).
The most important “qualitative” conclusion, however, is the fact that, from 2009 to date, 317 thousand jobs have been lost (a rate of 6.5%).
The last element leads us to conclude that the reduction in unemployment is mainly based on the reduction in employment.
Efforts should continue to further reduce unemployment to EU levels. creating stable, well-paying full-time jobs.
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The employment situation in our country does not leave much room for optimism and refutes the government’s celebrations for the reduction in unemployment.
Employment remains at low levels, at 4.327 million people, and is significantly reduced, at approximately 224 thousand workers, compared to the number of employees (4.551 million) in August 2009.
The labor market problem is multidimensional and substantial development measures are needed, which will lead to the creation of new jobs, increased wages and, of course, an increase in the workforce by repatriating a significant number of workers who have left the country.
As an indication, in the 2019-22 four-year period it is estimated that a total of 283,801 people belonging to the economically active population left the country.
71,467 were between 15 and 24 years old, 161,023 were between 25 and 44 years old, and 51,311 were between 45 and 64 years old.
Again, the largest percentage (around 58%) belongs to the intermediate age group of 25-44 years.
Decisive in the formation of a fictitious image of unemployment is the increase in flexible forms of employment, which tend to become dominant in the Greek labor market.
D. Karageorgopoulos, GSEE Communications Director – There are structural problems
Unemployment in Greece shows significant deviations compared to the European Union average.
Despite falling from the record levels recorded during the financial crisis, unemployment in Greece remains one of the highest in Europe.
Youth and female unemployment in Greece is still particularly high, while in the European Union the youth unemployment rate is significantly lower.
This large discrepancy indicates structural problems in the Greek labor market, such as a lack of employment opportunities and long-term unemployment.
When we examine employment rates in Greece compared to the European average, we observe the opposite phenomenon in unemployment. In other words, Greece has lower employment rates compared to other European Union countries.
This difference in employment rates shows that the Greek economy is struggling to create jobs or integrate large portions of the population into the job market.
Long-standing structural weaknesses, such as slow growth, bureaucracy and limited labor mobility, contribute to low employment.