2024 in review: Another year of missed workplace age-inclusion opportunity
In our final 2024 post we again take a snapshot of the year and reflect the extent opportunities for the older worker and age inclusive workforces have improved over the past twelve months.
Unfortunately, in Australia, the evidence suggests little progress has been made in practical terms in overcoming the existence of workplace ageist attitudes. Despite the best efforts of many organisations and individuals in challenging misinformation about ageing and older age, very few employers have bought into the opportunity an ageing demographic offers, preferring the continuing comfort of historically based talent views and risk averse traditional recruitment practices.
What we know in 2024 is the demographic ageing trend is only picking up steam which governments and business ignore at their own peril. The United Nations recently projected the number of people aged 65 years or older worldwide to more than double, rising from 761 million in 2021 to 1.6 billion in 2050 (a 110% increase). They note population ageing is an irreversible global trend, the inevitable result of the trend towards longer lives and smaller families.
Australia’s population trend forecasts mirror the global picture. CEPAR is predicting between now and 2041 Australia’s population in all age groups is expected to grow, but the largest proportional growth is expected at the oldest ages. Australia’s population aged 65 and over is projected to grow to 6.66 million by 2041, from an estimated 4.31 million in 2021(a 54% increase).
To date, an overlooked opportunity this change represents is the advent of an emerging ‘silver economy’ represented by people 50 years of age and over. A welter of statistics indicates this older population is the world’s largest and fastest-growing ‘emerging market’ with estimates the ‘silver economy’ contributes $45 trillion to global GDP. As Professor Andrew Scott of the London Business School remarks, “the capacity of older people to contribute positively to economic growth should not be underestimated.”
We also know the consequence of ageing populations and declining fertility rates is shrinking workforces resulting in potential skill shortages and productivity declines. Whilst industry complaints become louder about increasing talent shortages, it remains rare to see organisations implement policies integrating older workers into their talent systems. A 2020 AARP global employer survey found fewer than 4% of firms were already committed to such programs, with only a further 27% saying this was on their radar to explore. If nothing changes, Korn Ferry provide an alarmist perspective forecasting by 2030 there will be a global human talent shortage of more than 85 million people or roughly the equivalent of the population of Germany.
Yet, despite the apparent lack of interest by policymakers and business leaders in tackling the ageing demographic issue, still in 2024, there were various global initiatives working to address ageism, aiming to change societal attitudes and improve inclusion for people of all ages. These include:
The World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Campaign to Combat Ageism continuing effort to partner with countries worldwide to reshape attitudes and policies regarding aging.
The UK Ageing Better organisation launching a national Age Without Limits campaign in January 2024 to encourage people to change the way they think about ageing. The three-year initiative aims to challenge societal misconceptions about aging, tackle age discrimination, and encourage individuals to age with confidence.
The continuation of the French industry Club Landoy initiative championing the older worker which in June 2024 had 136 major and local French companies collectively signed up to an agreement dedicated to enhancing the role of employees over 50 in the workplace. A major goal of the Club is to positively influence corporate policies relating to the ageing workforce.
A significant 2024 achievement has been the development of the first national index in France dedicated to the employment of workers over 50. Promising early signs emerging from this data include 33% of employees within the signatory companies are aged 50 and over, 28% of training hours are allocated to older workers, 22% of the over 50s group are experiencing internal career mobility opportunities and 11% of new hires are drawn from this cohort.
In America, private initiatives continue to drive the anti-ageism campaign with social influencer and gerontologist voices gaining strength. There also appears a stronger media interest in the ageing issue from a business perspective with the Forbes, Fortune and The Fast Company magazines regular contributors to issues surrounding age within the workplace. In recent years there has also been the emergence of not-for-profit organisations such as Changing the Narrative and the Age Friendly Institute spearheading practical initiatives to tackle ageism in society and the workplace. Providing accreditation as “Age-Friendly Workplaces” appears a major initiative to drive change in the American business world.
China launching a government and media initiative highlighting the so-called "Curse of 35," addressing the common practice of hiring biases against individuals over the age of 35. The focus of this public campaign is to emphasise the need to remove age limits when hiring, particularly in sectors that traditionally prefer younger candidates.
Locally, in Australia, there appeared very little progress in the anti-ageism business space. The positive developments include:
The establishment of the EveryAGE Counts organisation whose primary purpose is to contribute to overcoming ageism within Australia. In its infancy, it made a powerful National Press Club appearance in September which regrettably, but not unsurprisingly, failed to attract major media attention. EAC also co-ordinated a national Ageism Awareness Day event in October, attracting an array of international and local expert speakers, focusing on how the advertising industry continues to contribute to ageist thinking within Australia with its ongoing perpetuation of negative age stereotypes in its campaigns.
The appointment in April of Robert Fitzgerald as Age Discrimination Commissioner. A highly respected lawyer, human rights and social justice advocate, he is a leading figure in the anti-discrimination space.
The release in October of an Australian Human Rights Commission report Shaping Perceptions: How Australian Media Reports on Ageing. This study found a prevailing culture of negativity in mainstream media towards ageing, which either overlooks or minimises important issues affecting older people, excludes older people’s personal experiences, or portrays them as an economic or social burden.
Despite these initiatives, unfortunately ageism continued to be a global issue in 2024 with some suggestion it may be increasing in the workplace. AARP research in the US found that nearly two-thirds of workers aged 50 and above report seeing or experiencing age-related bias in their workplace. In Europe research indicates that age discrimination has grown since 2019, particularly impacting job recruitment, with older workers frequently facing challenges in hiring and advancement. In the UK data suggests employers are failing to consider millions of people for new jobs due to ageism in the recruitment process, with 57 being the average age candidates are believed to be “too old” for the role. Older Canadian workers report significant issues in facing ageism, believing it to be on the rise since the end of the Covid epidemic. In China despite government efforts to influence the ‘curse of 35’ employer attitude to age, Chinese workers in their 30s are feeling increasingly insecure due to a slowing economy and age discrimination with employers continually preferring younger workers, who are seen as more motivated and cheaper.
Despite significant evidence to the contrary, almost universally employers continue to rely on the negative stereotypes of an inability of older workers to handle technological change, an inability to adapt to the challenges of the modern workplace or integrate with work colleagues. You have to wonder at all those companies who pride themselves on their DEI and contemporary people management initiatives how they could still be in the thrall of this misinformation as well as the influencing capabilities of the professionals overseeing this space in their organisations.
Once again Australia mirrors this overseas experience. 2023 research from the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Australian HR Institute indicates that nearly one in six organizations are reluctant to hire individuals aged 65 or older. The Australian Seniors Series: Gen Seen Report 2024 found over three-quarters (76%) of Australians 50 years old and above acknowledge the presence of ageism in their work environments, with more than two in five (42%) feeing less visible at work after turning 50. In another 2024 survey conducted by the Michael Page recruitment group, preventing age discrimination in the workplace emerged as the top DEI priority for employees.
If 2024 felt a challenging year in pushing the case for the older worker and age inclusive workforces, we have a sense of foreboding about what may be before us in 2025. A potential upheaval in global politics and the distraction of a federal election with its focus on immediate issues all indicate creating a new national framework to positively adapt the country to the ageing demographic change will continue to remain low on the political ‘to do’ list.
The diversity and inclusion space also appears one that may become more contested as it becomes another field for a ‘culture war’. Internationally and locally, we see companies increasingly ‘sniffing the wind’ to determine the extent they should continue to be strongly investing in their diversity and inclusion programmes with the suggestion DEI scepticism and exhaustion is on the rise. The language of meritocracy with a focus on the person with solely the best skills and experiences being hired is beginning to emerge as an alternative to DEI. 2025 might prove to be a tough and challenging year for the DEI professional.
We suggest in advancing the cause of the older worker and age inclusive workforces in 2025 the lack of zeal to date the DEI and HR community have displayed in advocating the elimination of work-based ageism may actually have a silver-lining for the older worker. We believe:
Issues of age in the workplace need to avoid getting rolled into any emerging ‘cultural’ conflict within industry involving the importance of DEI to business success.
There is a need to take the focus away from issues of ageism in the workplace and instead redirect advocacy efforts to the creation of a compelling stand- alone business case on the economic benefits and opportunities an ageing population presents.
Employers are unlikely to change their existing ageist attitudes until they better understand the potential strategic business opportunities an ageing demographic offers and consequently the value an age inclusive workforce represents. This is a different position to the current argument of the benefit of increasing total workplace inclusion for business.
Federal Government needs to be continually lobbied to begin taking an active role in resetting the narrative on what it means to age and become old acting as a powerful catalyst driving business attitude change.
There is a huge first mover competitive advantage to those companies willing to actively embrace the ageing demographic within their business strategy, marketing, sales, product and service innovation activities and people management practices. In our simple logic we see business, consumers and employees all benefiting from getting ahead of the curve of this inevitable change.
We look forward to supporting your company in championing workplace age inclusion in 2025. encourAGEEQUALITY can practically assist you in adapting to the ageing demographic impact on your company through:
Delivering practical and engaging business seminars focused on helping your organisation understand the compelling business case offered by the ageing demographic phenomenon and the advantages of the age inclusive workforce. Our seminars are engaging, interactive and fun, providing participants with evidence-based data and frameworks to take advantage of demographic change.
Helping senior leaders pinpoint where ageist practice and thinking may be embedded in everyday work practices that have become taken for granted using our research based proprietary diagnostic. Surfacing hidden organisation impediments to age inclusive workforces is an important activity in building a sustainable platform for change in this space.
We wish all our supporters a very happy and relaxing Christmas break with family and friends. Despite the apparent challenges, let’s work together in 2025 to make it a more substantive year for age inclusive workforce development.
References
AARP (2024). Age Discrimination Still Rampant in U.S. Workplaces. https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info-2024/workplace-age-discrimination-still-pervasive.html
ABC News (2024). Chinese millennials struggle with age discrimination due to the 'curse of 35'. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-10/curse-of-35-china-ageism/104502186
AHRC (2023). Ageism keeping older people out of the workforce. https://humanrights.gov.au/about/news/media-releases/ageism-keeping-older-people-out-workforce
Bain & Company (2023). Better with Age: The Rising Importance of Older Workers Report.
Canada ca (2023). Consultations on the social and economic impacts of ageism in Canada: “What we heard” report. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social development/corporate/seniors-forum-federal-provincial-territorial/reports/consultation-ageism-what-we-heard.html
ECJRC (2024). Addressing ageism: a key priority for a society of longevity. https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and-updates/addressing-ageism-key-priority-society-longevity-2024-07-11_en
Korn Ferry. (2022). The $8.5 Trillion Talent Shortage https://www.kornferry.com/insights/this-week-in-leadership/talent-crunch-future-of-work
Michael Page. (2024). Workplace ageism: A top concern despite lower incidence rates in Australia. https://www.michaelpage.com.au/advice/management-advice/diversity-and-inclusion/workplace-ageism-age-discrimination
Personnel Today (2024). Employers overlook millions due to hiring ageism. https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/employers-overlook-millions-due-to-hiring-ageism/
Scott, J, A. (2024). The Longevity Imperative: Building a better Society for Healthier, Longer Lives. Basic Books. UK.
Sun Herald. (2024). Off with the pixies: X defectors’ utopia. (Nov 24). https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/off-with-the-pixies-musk-s-x-defectors-discover-their-utopia-20241122-p5ksvz.html
United Nations (2023). Leaving No One Behind in an Ageing World Social Report.
Wilson, T. and Temple, J. (2022). New population projections for Australia and the States and Territories, with a particular focus on population ageing. CEPAR Working Paper 2022/11.
