Despite laws against age discrimination having existed for many years, it’s still an issue that persists and remains under-discussed in the world of people management.
In our latest HR webinar, we turned the spotlight on the struggles faced by both younger and older workers. We explored how employers can create age-friendly workplaces that support young adults just starting their careers and help older workers either prolong their careers or transition into retirement smoothly.
The webinar explored methods that employers can use to build a more age-diverse workforce and the significant benefits this diversity brings, particularly in attracting and retaining talent. It also presented ideas for preventing age discrimination within organisations, including the importance of having effective policies and procedures in place. These policies should be well-communicated and engrained in the practices of all line managers. Furthermore, we also highlighted the significance of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion training, emphasising the need for all line managers to have a solid understanding of these concepts to lead by example and promote best practices.
Throughout the webinar, we conducted polls that revealed some eye-opening results. An overwhelming 83% of participants believed that age discrimination is still a problem in workplaces, while 38% admitted to having personally faced age discrimination at work.
However, a significant gap was revealed between recognising the issue and taking concrete steps. Astonishingly, 55% of attendees had not reviewed their existing policies and procedures to ensure they aren’t unintentionally disadvantaging young or older workers. Additionally, only 17% of organisations reported having dedicated policies aimed at becoming age-friendly employers.
For those seeking deeper insights, you can read more about becoming an age friendly employer in our September Hot Topic and access the accompanying webinar on-demand.
If you are interested in taking proactive steps towards creating inclusive workplaces that welcome individuals of all ages, a template Age Friendly policy is available for to download from our HR Doc Shop.
