57 is the average age at which candidates are considered ‘too old’ for job roles in the UK, with more than four out of 10 HR professionals admitting that they are pressurised to hire younger candidates.
New research from Totaljobs based on a survey of 4,000 UK workers found that a third (33%) of over 50s fear they won’t be able to find another job due to age discrimination. The concern is more acute among women over 50 (37%) and black workers over 50 (48%). What’s more, one in seven (15%) candidates over 50 say that they have been rejected from a job explicitly due to their age, illustrating that this is not merely a concern, but a reality.
Even though a third (33%) of those surveyed said they were willing to remain in the workforce beyond the state retirement age, this entrenched discrimination has discouraged many over-50s from seeking new employment, with a quarter (25%) hesitating to apply for jobs at all.
According to Totaljobs, these figures mean that 4.2 million people and £138 billion in economic output are at risk of being overlooked due to entrenched ageism.
As far as the recruitment process is concerned, almost six out of 10 (59%) HR decision-makers admit to making assumptions about candidates based on age, with 42% experiencing pressure from colleagues to prioritise and hire younger candidates. Additionally, nearly half (47%) believe that a candidate’s age influences their ‘cultural fit’ within an organisation.
“With the highest level of economically inactive people in over a decade, there’s a real chance for employers to tap into the wealth of knowledge and skills that older workers offer.,” said Natalie Matalon, Chief People Officer at Totaljobs. “However, our research shows unconscious biases are still preventing many businesses from fully accessing this vital talent pool.
“Our ageing population means that the workforce is naturally evolving, and those who embrace the experience and diversity of perspective of older workers will be better positioned to support younger workers in their careers and address talent shortages . While it’s promising that many employers are already recognising the value of over 50s, accelerating efforts to build more inclusive recruitment practices will unlock even more growth opportunities for business and people.”
For those aged 50 and over who have changed jobs in the past three years or are currently job hunting, several key challenges emerged: 20% have faced inappropriate age-related questions, 22% were asked unsuitable questions about their health and physical capabilities, 26% were presumed to struggle with new technologies, and nearly a third (31%) felt that workplace culture favoured younger applicants.
As a result of these challenges, over a fifth (22%) of over 50s have omitted their age from CVs, with half (49%) doing so to avoid being stereotyped.
“Businesses have the tools to tackle these biases and create more inclusive hiring processes,” Natalie Matalon added. “The organisations that act now will not only gain access to a broader, more experienced talent pool, but also retain essential skills and experience from their existing workforce, fostering greater workplace diversity.”