COTA Australia says the nation’s “productivity potential” is being undermined by workplace ageism, with a recent report showing that more than a quarter of HR professionals regard employees in the 51- to 55-year-old cohort as “older”.
The ‘Older and young workers: What do employers think?’ report is an initiative of the Australian Human Rights Commission and Australian Human Resources Institute.
Using data from a national survey of employers and HR professionals, the report analyses how older and younger people are perceived and supported in Australian workplaces.
COTA chief executive Patricia Sparrow said the findings were consistent with feedback older people shared about how ageism was preventing them from finding work in a survey conducted by her organisation.
Even if ageism was not the only contributing factor, it was one of the biggest reasons, she added.
“We’ve got an ageing population and an ageism problem,” Sparrow said.
“It’s a dangerous combination that our decision makers, including our politicians, need to start addressing quickly.”
The report found that only 56% of hiring managers were open to hiring workers aged 50-64 ‘to a large extent’. This was despite the fact that 55% of respondents said they had ‘hard to fill’ vacancies.
More than one in six hiring managers said they would not hire somebody 65 years and older.
Australian HR Institute CEO Sarah McCann-Bartlett said there was a clear need for workplaces to build inclusive practices to support employees at every stage of their careers.
“One in five HR professionals say their recruitment practices negatively impact older workers, and 23% say the same about younger workers,” McCann-Bartlett said.
“In a tight labour market, there is a clear economic imperative to tap into the full potential of the available labour pool.”
The survey also found older workers were rated lower than their younger peers for their ability to use technology and their career ambition.
Across the categories of loyalty (74%), reliability (64%), and ability to cope with stress (62%), older workers scored more favourably than young employees.
Age discrimination commissioner Robert Fitzgerald urged hiring managers to consider how their recruitment practices were affecting the diversity of their teams.
“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,” Fitzgerald said.
“Providing equal opportunity for people of all ages to remain engaged in meaningful work can enhance productivity, while also helping close skills gaps.”
In COTA’s own survey of people aged 50 years and over, 72% reported they felt ageism locked older people out of the workforce. More respondents who were not in paid employment (75%) shared this view.
Sparrow warned that by sidelining older people in recruitment, Australia would lose out on productivity, and chances to build a better future. The current system was allowing valuable experience to go wasted, she said.
“If we’re serious about building a stronger, more sustainable economy, we need to back older Australians. That means smarter policies, fairer workplaces, and a shift in attitude,” Sparrow said.
“When older workers are locked out of employment, workers of all ages miss out on the skill sharing and breadth of knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm that comes with having age diverse workplaces.”
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