It’s Ageism Awareness Day in October and a great time to revisit a piece written by our Seniors Peak Body Manager, Bianca. She shares her thoughts on the findings of the recent research report from the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Australian HR Institute that almost a quarter of HR professionals now classify workers aged 51–55 as ‘older.’
What in the Gen X?! This Reality Bites. The report, ‘Older and Younger Workers: What Do Employers Think?’ is AHRI and the Commission’s fifth national survey of employers and HR professionals. It’s a snapshot of how older and younger workers are perceived, supported and included in Australian workplaces.
I can hand on heart say after reading this research… we’re not doing it right.
It is no secret we have a rapidly ageing population, and the aged pension is unfortunately based on a rather old-fashioned diminishing assumption that older people will own their home outright, which for many is not possible.
Remember, superannuation only became mandatory in 1992, so for many who want to retire, that still won’t cut the mustard.
So, what’s a young at heart and qualified Gen X-er to do? Well… while many would no doubt love to do a Ferris Bueller and take the day off, with today’s cost of living crisis continuing to work is a necessity.
Cost of living pressures unfortunately mean that many older Australians must continue to work well beyond the increasing age of retirement, and often that’s not a choice.
But on the bright side continuing to work as you get older is a huge contributing factor to improved physical and mental health through social interaction and mental stimulation.
Ageism is pervasive in the workforce, and this report sadly reflects it is getting worse, not better.
The future of ageing is changing, and the stereotypical assumptions about workers over 50 struggling with technology, or no longer wanting to pursue meaningful career goals, needs to fade into the past with punch cards and dial-up Internet.
It’s not great at the other end of the scale either, with significant reluctance to employ 15–24-year-olds. However, these potential employees will at least have the opportunity to age into the awfully narrow ‘sweet spot’ for employment, which is apparently between the ages of 25 to 50.
For someone aged 65 or over, more than one in six HR professionals surveyed confessed they simply won’t hire from this age group.
Even though the research also stated that older workers are overwhelmingly seen as more loyal (74%), more reliable (64 %) and better able to cope with stress (62%) than younger workers.
And I have to wonder how many more simply didn’t want to admit to such a shameful view? We need to stop overlooking people willing to do the work just because they were born in the ‘wrong’ decade.
This is not just about employers who miss out on a wealth of knowledge, experience and talent that deserves to be acknowledged, celebrated, retained, and paid.
As the research itself states: “employer biases against older and younger generations is hindering Australian workforce productivity.” It’s right there, in black and white.
We’re also talking about real people with many years still ahead of them experiencing housing stress, potential homelessness, increased risk of abuse, and poor physical and mental health outcomes if they can’t get and retain jobs.
HR professionals of any age would do well to remember… it’s not just a resume, it’s someone’s life’s work and hire based on who is best for the job, regardless of their age.
(Written by Bianca Marson Whait, Advocare WA Seniors Peak Manager. Appeared in The West Australian, 13 August 2025.)
Keen to see stereotypes actively being broken down? (approx. 4 min. watch)
