Search

You are not logged in | Free Registration

Nearly four million people in the UK feel that they have been discriminated against because of their age, with workers as young as 35 falling victim to age discrimination.

But ageing populations across the developed world means that in the not too distant future there will be too few workers to pay the pensions of older people.

Policymakers have woken to the fact that we need to have a greater number of middle aged and older people employed.

But sadly, most employers have not; in the UK alone, official figures estimate that age discrimination in the workplace is costing the economy £31bn a year.

USEFUL LINKS

Essential Reading

Employers in denial over aging workforce

Despite many U.S. businesses already experiencing the effects of an aging workforce, a significant proportion of have failed to put any plans in place to deal with the problem.

Age bias undergoing its own phased retirement

Just how prevalent is ageism in U.S. organisations? The overwhelming majority of Americans believe that it's still a problem, but demographic realities mean that it could be undergoing its own phased retirement.

What happens when the 'baby boom' bubble bursts?

Will the retirement of the 'baby boom' generation lead to a labour shortage in the U.S. or will there instead be a skills shortage and increased unemployment as organisations offshore jobs in search of cheaper skilled workers?

Ageing workforce changing the way managers plan their strategy

As the workforce grows older, companies are spending more time and effort analysing and forecasting the talent they have or need to acquire in order to execute their business strategy.

Mandatory retirement opposed worldwide

For many people in the developed world, traditional retirement is a thing of the past. A new global survey suggests that eight out of 10 want to scrap mandatory retirement while just 14 per cent equate financial independence with old age.

Attitudes to retirement transcend age

A worker's age is irrelevant when it comes to second-guessing when they are likely to want to retire or how long they will keep working, a British survey has revealed.

Capitalizing on generational differences

This week is National Older Worker Week in America, and in keeping with one of my mantras, "Value the Differences, Adapt to the Differences," I thought it a good idea to look at how to capitalize on generational differences.

Legislation 'not the answer to ageism'

Legislation on its own will not solve the problem of age discrimination in Britain's workplaces because most people simply don't take it as seriously as they do prejudice based on race and religion.

From the Blog

Latest on Ageism

Generation Y: teach the teacher?

How relevant are traditional methods of teaching to today's technology-obsessed youngsters? And what – if anything – are schools and universities doing to help 'design the future'?

The Gen Y myth

We frequently hear that companies are going to have to make big changes to accommodate the disruptive ways of Gen Y. But as a new report reveals, much of the perceived wisdom about Gen Y simply nonsense.

The generation trap

Generation X has a lot to worry about. Job insecurity, lack of support by the state and meagre pensions, to name but a few. And as the economic crisis drags on, it is stripping away any lingering sense of security and replacing it with a sense of fear which, for some, is all-encompassing.

Gimme, gimme, gimme!

Many generations have said "today's young people only think of themselves," but this time around it may be true. So is "Generation Me" a real phenomenon – and if it is, what are the implications for business and society?

Gen Y and the 2020 organization

In less than a decade from now, Gen Y will be firmly entrenched within the management layers of most large corporations. But what this will mean for organizations and what changes will Gen Y bring with them as they begin to steer the ship?

The value of older workers

Whatever approach an organisation takes to embrace its older employees, there is no escaping the fact that this must be done. The demographic time bomb is still ticking away in the background and there is no sign of a boost in birth rates defusing it any time soon.

The missing trainees

Are far as most mature workers are concerned, formal training programmes are a big turn-off. So how can organisations overcome training fatigue and offer staff in their mid-forties and beyond training and development that meets their real needs?

Presenting work to best advantage.

A common complaint these days is that new entrants into the workforce don't want to put any effort into learning new skills. Nonsense. The real problem is that mangers are unable to tap into their obvious and zealous work ethic.

Managing the generation gap

Tammy Erickson is an author and expert on organizations and the changing workforce and, in particular, the generational differences between workers today. She spoke to Des Dearlove about the best ways to unite generations into a productive workforce.

Stop downturn stereotyping, managers advised

A sharp spike in age discrimination claims on both sides of the pond could be eased by managers considering how they stereotype older workers, a leading academic claims.

How to stop your 'snow birds' flying

Rather than just clipping the wings of older "snow bird" workers, managers should use them as mentors, give them access to learning and be more flexible about how they work

Middle-aged managers most vulnerable to redundancy

With new research suggesting that it may be 2013 before we start to see any significant upturn in employment, middle-aged managers in their 40s and 50s will remain especially vulnerable to the axe.

Managing millennials

There's no question that managing millennials – Generation Y - is a hot topic. Many of my generation view Gen Y as a different species, a pain in the neck or just plain subversive. But I've never come to any of these conclusions. Why? Because I just manage them as I do any other employee.