Calls For Businesses To Tackle Age Discrimination
When it comes to hiring new staff, there are a number of things your organisation may be looking for. However, it seems that many job seekers over the age of 50 are still experiencing discrimination because of their age.
A YouGov survey commissioned by the Centre for Ageing Better recently found that 14 per cent of employees over 50 believe they have been turned down for a job because of their age, while 18 per cent have considered hiding their age on a job application.
Despite many organisations introducing policies to help tackle age discrimination, 47 per cent of those questioned said that they didn’t believe such a policy had made any difference in their workplace.
Senior programme manager at the charity Patrick Thomson commented: “Employers risk losing their most experienced people and face labour and skills shortages. Every employer needs to become more age-friendly and take steps today to ensure the workforce of the future.”
The Centre for Ageing Better has released a number of recommendations for businesses to follow, including encouraging career development for people of all ages and taking a flexible approach to flexible working.
Andy Briggs, the government’s business champion for older workers, added that the research should act as “a wake-up call”. He pointed out that the demographic of our population is changing, with nearly one in three workers in the UK now over 50.
“Workplaces have to catch up with the seismic demographic change we are experiencing,” he stressed.
Should you experience age discrimination either at work or when applying for a job, you could find that discrimination solicitors can help. We recently explained the steps you can take if you feel you’ve been treated differently because of your age, such as taking your employer to a tribunal if you feel you have been dismissed because of your age.