Age bias and discrimination within UK workplaces is perpetuated by HR departments, with younger HR leaders less willing to champion the ageing workforce, according to a new study.
Commissioned by over-50s platform 55/Redefined and charity ProAge, the Shut Out, Forced Out and Overlooked report reveals how age diversity is forgotten, as organisations focus on other protected diversity and inclusion (D&I) characteristics. Worryingly, 65% of 55-75s feel that the job market is closed to them. And nearly a quarter (24%) felt forced to retire before they wanted to. However, 56% of employees want to continue working beyond the age of 65. More importantly, 90% believe they have the transferable skills to change industry or job.
The report also revealed a stark contrast in attitudes towards the 50+ workforce between younger and older HR leaders. When asked how motivated they are to hire 55-75 year-olds, less than a quarter (24%) of HR leaders aged 25-30 said “very”, compared to 63% of respondents aged 46-50.
AGEISM AT WORK
The report highlights the prevalence of ageism in UK workplaces. More shockingly, energy is viewed as something only under 30s have. Beyond age bias, and despite workers in their 20s being twice as likely to take sick leave than their older colleagues, 37% of employers cited health or illness as a major concern to recruiting those from the 55-75 age bracket. Additionally, a fifth (21%) of employers cited ‘lack of energy’ as a disadvantage to hiring over-55s.
Interestingly, more than two-thirds (67%) of senior HR/D&I have no intention to report age diversity externally. Research from HR DataHub revealed similar findings. According to its Outlook 2022 report, only 9% of senior HR/D&I leaders disclose data on age externally. And more than two-thirds (67%) said they have no intention to report on it in future, as reported.
AGE DISCRIMINATION
“It is astonishing that so many of the UK’s largest organisations have no intention to report on age. Especially given that data is so easily accessible for everyone. Organisations that fail to stamp out ageism will not only miss out on a huge pool of talent, but they will fail to create a workplace that is genuinely fair and equal. The ultimate risk will come from the accountability of stakeholders,” stated David Whitfield, CEO and Co-founder of HR DataHub. “In recent years, there has been growing pressure to progress other protected D&I characteristics, such as ethnicity, LGBTQ+ and gender. While there is no denying the importance of this work, by consequence, age has been shunned.”
Lyndsey Simpson, Founder and CEO at 55/Redefined agreed. “It’s clear that age discrimination is being perpetuated by those in control of HR policy and standards. This could perhaps be an unintended consequence of an imbalance in focus on other protected diversity and inclusion characteristics,” she commented. “HR leaders and CEOs must address this issue urgently, realising the talent and ambitions of older people; bringing age bias in the workplace to an end.”
TIME TO ERADICATE AGEISM
As our working age population shrinks and the 60+ population rises, “age should be top of the agenda,” added Simpson. “At a time when we are all living and working longer, it is in all our interests to stamp out this unfair and unacceptable discrimination.”
To help HR leaders, people managers and D&I practitioners eradicate ageism from the workplace, HR DataHub has partnered with 55/Redefined. The partnership will allow firms across all sectors to collect, measure and benchmark their data on age via HR DataHub’s D&I Index. It will also help set meaningful targets, and implement the changes needed to eradicate ageism from the workplace.
“Combining data, insight and a shared drive to put age on the radar of HR leaders, our partnership with 55/Redefined aims to stamp out ageism in the workplace. Not only is D&I data critical for organisations to understand the scale of their problem but it helps to create a plan to meet these head on. That’s where 55/Redefined’s expertise is essential,” explained Whitfield. “Together we will enable organisations to identify and eliminate the damaging aspects of ageism and create age-inclusive workplaces.”
Ageism is rife in the financial services, tech, advertising and marketing functions, confirmed another recent study. Click here to read more.
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