A phenomenon of 'generational reversal' is emerging, with more directors general in their 50s than new employees in their 20s. This is interpreted as a result of reduced new hiring due to economic recession and the increased retirement age.
According to the Leaders Index on the 5th, the proportion of employees under 30 in corporations last year was 19.8%, a decrease of 1.2 percentage points from 2023.
This result reflects the analysis of age composition in the top 500 corporations based on comparable revenue since 2022, where the Leaders Index submitted sustainability management reports (a total of 124 corporations were actually surveyed).
During the same period, the proportion of personnel aged 50 and over rose by 0.6 percentage points to 20.1%. This is the first time since the survey began in 2015 that the proportions of the two age groups have reversed.
The Leaders Index noted, 'The proportion of employees under 30 has also fallen below 20% for the first time.'
In the past three years, the number of employees under 30 has decreased each year—235,923 (21.9%) in 2022, 230,888 (21.0%) in 2023, and 221,369 (19.8%) in 2024.
In contrast, the number of those aged 50 and over steadily increased from 206,040 (19.1%) in 2022 to 214,098 (19.5%) in 2023, and 224,438 (20.1%) in 2024.
The sector with the largest age gap is the secondary battery industry, where the proportion of employees under 30 dropped by 9.7 percentage points (7,789 people) over the past three years. The number of employees aged 50 and over increased by 1.2 percentage points (496 people), resulting in a gap of 10.9 percentage points.
The information technology (IT) and electrical/electronics sectors also saw a decrease of 5.4 percentage points (15,300 people) in the proportion of employees under 30, while the number of employees aged 50 and over increased by 3.1 percentage points (6,933 people), resulting in a difference of 8.5 percentage points.
Park Joo-geun, head of the Leaders Index, said, 'Due to the economic slowdown, most sectors, including secondary batteries and IT, are showing a cautious stance towards new hiring, and the retirement of senior personnel is delayed, accelerating aging within corporations. We have reached a turning point where the proportions between generations have swapped.'