If you are a senior and want to continue working, even part time, or you want to re-enter the workforce, then let’s be honest, it’s not going to be easy.
When planning to do so, it is important to understand why many bosses don’t want to employ you. This article might help.
It seems incredible that Australia’s employers are overlooking experienced workers at a time when their businesses and the national economy are experiencing skills shortages.
National Seniors Australia (NSA) has a long-time policy of reforming the taxation and workplace systems to enable older people to continue working or return to work. More on that later.
But it’s not just us calling for change. This latest news arises from research by the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and Human HR Institute.
It found almost a quarter (24%) of human resources (HR) professionals now classify workers aged 51–55 as “older” – up 10% on 2023 – and suggests that many employers are sidelining experienced professionals, at a time when we’re told employers are crying out for workers.
The report, Older and Younger Workers: What Do Employers Think?, provides a snapshot of how older and younger workers are perceived, supported, and included in Australian workplaces.
Despite more than half of respondents (55%) reporting hard-to-fill vacancies, just 56% said they are open to hiring workers aged 50–64 “to a large extent”.
This drops to 28% for those 65 and over, with 18% saying they won’t hire this age group.
At the other end of the age spectrum, the findings were also bleak – just 41% of employers are open to recruiting jobseekers aged 15 to 24 “to a large extent”.
The AHRC makes the point that the findings come amid renewed national focus on productivity, with the Productivity Commission, the Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, and the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, identifying it as one of Australia’s most pressing economic challenges.
“Our research found some workplaces are hesitant to employ workers over the age of 50, before they are even close to retirement age, or under 24 – including Gen Z’s digital natives,” the CEO of the Australian HR Institute, Sarah McCann-Bartlett, said.
Age Discrimination Commissioner, Robert Fitzgerald, said the findings highlighted the need for sustained action against ageism.
“Older and younger workers can be a real advantage for businesses. Age-diverse teams bring different life experiences to the table and are better at solving problems,” he said.
“Employers need to support inclusive workplaces, where competency isn’t assessed against age or career stage. Providing equal opportunity for people of all ages to remain engaged in meaningful work can enhance productivity, while also helping close skills gaps.”