Attitudes towards age need a reality check, says research

Age discrimination is widespread in UK organisations and many workers hold unrealistic perceptions about their own career prospects, according to the latest research on age discrimination by the Chartered Management Institute and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

The results of a survey* among 2682 managers and personnel professionals show that age discrimination persists in many organisations. Six in ten respondents (59 per cent) reported that they have been personally disadvantaged at work because of their age and nearly a quarter of those surveyed (22 per cent) admitted that age has an impact on their own recruitment decisions.

The research also revealed that almost half (48 per cent) of those surveyed had suffered age discrimination through job applications while 39 per cent believe their chances of promotion have been hindered by age discrimination. This claim is backed up by individual perceptions of age where over half (63 per cent) of respondents believed that workers between the ages of 30-39 years old had the best promotion prospects, with only 2 per cent citing 50 year-olds or above.

A majority, (80 per cent) reported that they are hanging on to the expectation that they will personally retire by the age of 65, despite believing that the age of retirement for the average person in ten yearsí time will be 66 or older. However, a third (29 per cent) of organisations already have no mandatory retirement age. This suggests that both individuals and organisations need to consider a step-change in how they perceive age and careers so that changes in demographics are met with a more flexible approach to career planning.

Dianah Worman, Diversity Adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) comments, ìOur research shows that most managers expect everyone to be retiring later within ten years ñ except themselves. There is a growing acceptance that the average worker is going to stay at work beyond 65. But no-one seems to think it applies to them. It is good news that attitudes to older workers are changing, but individuals need take a reality check on their expectations of their own retirement age.

ìThe evidence also suggests that the current proposal to set a default retirement age of 65 is a useless bureaucratic barrier, which needs to be either finessed or scrapped. If the objective of the legislation is to end age discrimination in the workplace and support older workers, this is likely to be counterproductive. The Government would do far better to focus their attention on extending flexible working arrangements to ensure that employers are able to make greater use of the skills and experience offered by older workers.î

Over half (68 per cent) of respondents said they anticipate working part time towards the end of their working life and a quarter (24 per cent) claimed that the ability to work reduced hours would be a key factor influencing their retirement. However, only 34 per cent of organisations currently offer part-time working to older employees and only a quarter (25 per cent) currently offer career advice to older workers. This suggests a worrying mismatch between what employees are expecting and what employers are offering.

Individual perceptions suggest that employees are not in touch with reality about the future of their careers and hold stereotypical views about age. Over half (61 per cent) of people reported the perception that career expectations decrease with age, yet 37 per cent of respondents expressed a desire for more careers advice for older workers, and 77 per cent agreed that career advice and training will be critical in retaining older workers. The research also shows that the majority of employers do not believe that older workers are more costly ñ shattering a myth that is often used to defend mandatory retirement ages.

Similarly, respondents cite 55 as the mean age for a female older employee while a male older employee is given the mean age of 57 years. This has risen significantly since 1995** when the average age for a male ìolder employeeî was 51 compared with 48 for a female ìolder employeeî, suggesting that individuals are now perceived as younger for longer but that women are still seen to be ìolder employeesî at a younger age.

Petra Cook, Head of Public Affairs at the Chartered Management Institute comments, Looking at the changing demographics, approximately 80 per cent of the workforce is already in employment. As such, organisations will need to focus on upskilling and reskilling their current workforce. This is reflected by the finding that the need to retain skills is the key driver of retirement policy. It also means that individuals must now plan their careers in a new light. The days of a single, linear career are over and employees must take some responsibility for creating new opportunities and challenges in their later working lives. But, in order for this to happen, organisations will have to adapt to ensure that older workers are treated as an asset and offered flexibility.î