Age Discrimination is Alive and Unwelcome Here!

Common sense appears to be a rare commodity these days. Why is this so?

In an era when the emphasis seems to be on all things young, beautiful and sometimes shallow its about time we took stock of ourselves and did our businesses a favor by employing older workers! Age discrimination is a terrible injustice that has far reaching effects on our economy where ever we are.

When I was much younger I used to watch these older workers with wonderment and ask myself 'how did they get to be so smart' many of them didn't even have degrees! Now 25 years in the workforce has educated me with some answers.

It was a lesson that was to educate me through the years as I often learnt that the most successful and balanced poeple in society where those who were older and often weren't highly educated as we think education means.

They were street smart and wise in the ways of the business world and usually displayed compassion and the willingness to share. As a young accountant I was fortunate to be mentored by some very smart older people who took the opportunity to help me develop. When I left the accounting profession I had a reputation as an excellent manager.

On one occasion this well known business identity confided in me that many experienced poeple his age would 'give their eye teeth' to mentor other younger business people and willingly without charge.

So why this discrimination and why do we take away the hope that older workers have!

Because of the reducing birth rate in Australia it is estimated that by 2010 the percentage of employees aged between 45 and 60 years of age will be 65%. Many industries are not presently equipped to cope with this radical change in age demographics and it is now time for industry and government to work together preparing the way ahead. Australia is nt alone!

Recent studies have belied the myth in respect to older workers and concluded that mature workers are productive, however, there still continues to be muddied perceptions about age related workers (Productivity of Mature and Older Workers: Employers' Attitudes and Experience - ACIRRT 1996).

Grey power will increasingly become more important as enterprises endeavour to stay ahead of the pack and retain mature aged workers who have skills, experience and competencies to contribute to industry and business.

Discrimination in employment

Discrimination in employment can include where an employer treats less favorably a worker

• in any variation of the terms of work; or
• in denying or limiting access to opportunities
• in dismissing a worker; or
• by treating a worker unfavourably regarding work.

Answer

The answers to age discrimination aren't blowing in the wind! They are really common sense. Where can you buy maturity and wisdom. You can't! Maturity and wisdom is earnt and proved in the furnace of lifes experiences.

• Employment - do you have a policy on older workers?
• Employment policies - Discrimination?
• Grievance policy for all complaints
• Flexible work practices

Finally as an example I was once employed to manage a company which was heading towards Chapter 11. I inherited an older worker who was near retirement. Se proved to be a key difference in turning the company around!

Go ahead and make someones day. Its your people that make you money, yes old and young, employ the best person and don't discriminate. Old age grows on us all! For more information and to subscribe to our monthly ezine visit www.biz-momentum.com

Philip Lye is Director of Biz Momentum Pty Ltd and provides professional management services for -

• Strategic Human Resource Management
• Employee Relations Advice
• Workplace Health & Safety Compliance Strategies
• Management Skills Training

Philip holds qualifications in Accounting, Leadership, Human Resource Management, Industrial Relations and is a qualified accountant.

Prior to starting Biz Momentum Philip began his career as a junior clerk in banking and finance and progressed through various industries to CEO. Visit http://www.biz-momentum.com


More Resources

The 7 Tough Job Interview Questions That Can Make or Break You - and How to Answer Them
Some interview questions are asked so frequently that they've become classics. Practically every interview you go on you'll be answering one or more of these seven interview questions.
Writing Powerful Resumes - 10 Golden Rules
Your resume is your sales letter. It may not get you the job.
Do You Have the courage to ignore the experts?
Do you have the courage to ignore the experts? Do you have the willingness and ability to understand and use the power that is within you? Courage is that state of mind when you do something that you know is right for you and your loved ones and the rest of the world thinks you're mad. The ability to make the decision and then make it happen.
Telecommuting Website (Part Two)
Last article I discussed why a telecommuter would benefit from starting a website, and what you should include on the website. This article, I'm going to cover how to market the website and the basics of getting one set up.
Booster & Drainers
Like huge anchors on cruise ships, other people can hold you down. Not intentionally, but their negativity impacts you.
The Top 10 Mistakes Job Seekers Should Avoid In Contacting An Employer
There are numerous tools and resources available to guide job seekers through the steps of a career transition. These tools are very useful and suggest much that you should do.
50 Things To Do To Your Boss That Are Fun For You, But Not For Them
1. You're eavesdropping and you hear your boss has reservations at his favorite restaurant.
Top 10 Tips for Career Advancement
Here's a list of the top 10 tips you can use to advance your career: 1. Don't be afraid to say "I don't know.
How to Change Careers and Still Pay the Bills - 5 Key Steps
Studies show that more than 50% of people are unhappy in their jobs yet few will actually make a career change in 2005. Why? Most people let fear stop them yet successful career changers know that fear is simply a sign that you are headed in the right direction!Follow the 5 key steps that successful career changers actually take to overcome their fears and make a sustainable change.
My Landscaping Business is Better Than Your Lanscaping Business...
Yesterday I was having a discussion with Mary who I know from a mother's group that I attend with my daughter Sammi. Through previous conversations I have determined that this woman is very talented in the areas of landscaping and interior design.
Job Interviews and The Secret of Selling Yourself
A very effective and persuasive tactic when selling something is to promote its benefits as well as its features.Very simply, features are what something has; benefits are what those features do for you.
Salary, Raises, & Perks: Negotiate to Get Paid What Youre Worth!
Salary negotiation requires preparation and good timing. It's important to determine your salary needs and research the market value for the job you want.
Interview Questions: How To Stump The Interviewer
In the limited time an interviewer has with you, their mission is to know you and assess your worth, especially in relationship to the other candidates interviewed. Asking you questions is the way they accomplish that mission.
7 Steps to Interviews that Win the Job
These days, interviews don't come easily. When you get The Call, make the most of your time -- and go for it!1.
Discover What You Really Want To Do
Are you doing what you really want to do or did you just fall or wander into the job you now have. As a friend of ours once said,' I am one of twenty two doctors in our family.
Take This Job and...Re-staff It
Deciding to leave a job isn't easy. In fact, quitting a job requires courage, especially in today's soft economy when the unemployment rate has reached 6.
How to Recoup From Missing the Most Important Meeting of the Year
Sometimes missing a critical meeting just can't be helped. Despite the advance planning, you just cannot make it to the meeting.
Three Ways to Transition to a New Career
As a Certified Personnel Consultant working for Find Great People International in Greenville, South Carolina, I receive telephone calls from people who are considering a career change. For some, transitioning to a new career is easier than others.
Job Hunting Tips: Containing Anxiety
It hangs from the ceiling above your bed while you toss through the night hours. It waits inside the door of every employment office you enter.
Sample Resume Objectives: Read, Dont Copy
The resume objective statement is typically something that trips people up.Confronted by the silent challenge of the blank page, most folks Google for "sample resume objectives".

More Careers & Employment Information:

Related Articles

How To Become a Mortgage Broker
The mortgage industry accounted for $1,815,949,279,000 in loan transactions in 2004. That's one trillion, eight hundred and fifteen billion, nine hundred and forty-nine million, two hundred and seventy nine thousand dollars.
Five Facts You Must Know When Changing Careers
Too often in life, we fail. We fail not because we set our goals to high and miss achieving our aspirations.
Start Working Before You Get Hired
What if there were a way to *prove* to any sane employer that you alone were the one to hire?Would learning how to do that interest you? I thought so.I call this the "start-working-before-you-get-hired" job-hunting method.
Finding Employees For Insurance Industry Jobs
Finding the right employee for any job opening can be a challenge to say the least, and this is no truer than in the insurance industry. With considerations ranging from experience and education to their personal skills, the decisions faced by recruiters and employers can be of critical importance.
What Not To Include In Your Resume
Do you have a difficult time determining what does not go in your job resume? The rule of thumb is to only put enough information about your qualifications in your resume in order to get the employer interested enough to contact you about an interview.If the information doesn't highlight your qualifications, keep it out.
Resume Layouts ... The Hidden Pitfalls
Options for Resume LayoutsThere are many options of available to today's job seeker. With a quick change of graphical elements such as fonts and style, the feel of a resume can change from traditional and conservative to creative and modern.
Job Interviews & the Magic of Music
Can music help you with your next job interview? It just might! Here's how. First, it can help you during your research, preparation and practice.
Resurrecting the Perfect Resume, Part One
Is your resume dead? Don't be so quick to say, "No way!" Of the hundreds of resumes I've seen written by job seekers of all backgrounds and educational levels, easily 95% qualify to be labelled as dead-but-not-yet-buried.
Prepare for Your Performance Review Before You Start the Job
When you start a new job, you probably realize the first three months are critical to your long-term success. Everybody's eye is on the "newbie" as you learn the ropes.
Women Who Quit Work Abrubtly After Childbirth - Are You the Type?
According to statistics one out of every five pregnant women will not return to work. Quitting abruptly after childbirth could wreak havoc on your finances, your career and even your relationship with your partner.
Resumes, Networking, Headhunters - Useless Without Marketing Sweet Spot
A career transition is no longer about getting your hands on a list of contacts, networking with headhunters, or going online to look for work. It's better than that.
Self Describing Skills - Key Strengths
You need to be the best you can at describing your best qualities; particularly your key strengths. In my coaching practice I generally, at some point, ask my client: "What are you good at?" purely as a means to establish if they have already thought through this most important question.
Are You Tired of Hiring Other Peoples Rejects? - 12 Mistakes Recruiters Make and How To Avoid Them
When John applied for a job at Oakland Company, his resume looked fabulous, showing tremendous talent and advancement. His qualifications were beyond question and he built immediate rapport with everyone in the interview process.
How to Transform a Boring Note Into A Killer Cover Letter - Part II
In Part I, we covered how to grab the reader's attention with the opening sentence. Nowwe'll get them interested, arouse desire, and get them to take action.
About Your Work
I like Simon, one of three judges on American Idol. I find his feedback refreshingly honest.
Unlimit Your Life!
Do you have a tendency to think in absolutes?Is everything good or bad, black or white?This type of thinking can severely limit your options. Or worse, prevent you from getting an accurate picture of what'spossible.
Taking Your Words Seriously
When we ordered the stained glass window as an accent piece for our home, the artist-proprietor told us he was a bit behind. "So," he said, "to be on safe side, plan on six months.
Working Abroad - Employment Advice In Spain
Jobs and employment on the Costa BlancaThe Council of Europe regulations forced Spain to end all restrictions on the free circulation of European Union workers as of January 1st, 1992 - which means that all EU citizens can work in Spain under the same conditions as Spaniards complete with employment contracts and employers contributions into the Spanish Social Security system on your behalf, giving both yourself and your dependants, access to the Spanish National Health Service. These rights extend even to family members who are non EU nationals.
Resume That Effectively Promotes You!
Imagine for a moment that you have created a wonderful product. You are excited at the possibilities of attaining name, fame and wealth marketing this product.
Rev-Up Your Network!
Whether you are looking for a job, new clients or feel the need to expand your list of professional contacts, networking is the answer.So what are you saying to yourself right now? "Yuck, I hate networking.