Age discrimination ‘alive and well’

National Seniors Australia has backed a new report showing more than a third of Human Resource (HR) practitioners believe their organisations are biased to some extent against the employment of older workers.

The study, released late last week by the Australian Human Resources Institute, was based on a survey of 1,212 HR practitioners and examined questions relating to retention of older workers on the payroll, as well as recruitment issues.

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of the respondents reported negative workplace perceptions of older workers often prevented their employment.

National Seniors Australia chief executive, Michael O’Neill, said the report “echoed what older workers feel in the real world”.

“This report reinforces nationwide research that age discrimination is alive and well in Australia,’’ he said.

“Whilst the report shows there is a bias against employing older workers, the positive to come out of it was 83% of respondents wanted to see steps taken within their organisation to retain older workers.”

The report also indicated nearly half of the respondents (46%) revealed the departure of older workers from their workplace in the past year had caused a loss of key knowledge or skills.

A report complied by National Seniors Australia last year titled Stereotype Threat and Mature Age Workers called for more positive older role models, stronger anti-discrimination policies, increased training opportunities and greater recognition of mature age staff.

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