In the UK, over a third (35%) of workers are now aged 50 and over. As people live longer, healthier lives, and pension pots shrink, it makes sense that more people are working beyond traditional retirement.
Despite this, age bias remains a significant issue.
A
new survey of 4,000 UK job seekers, and 1,000 HR decision-makers, including interviews with workers over 50 and analysis of 4.5 million job ads, sets out to explore barriers for older workers.
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Age bias is rife
It found that 59% of recruiters admit to making age-based assumptions, with almost half (46%) considering candidates over 57 “too old”, while 42% say they feel pressured to hire younger candidates.
Over half (56%) of recruiters doubt older candidates’ tech skills, and a staggering 97% of recruiters prioritise cultural fit when hiring, and crucially, one in two rely on age as a factor for determining that fit.
Some 15% of candidates say they have been rejected from a job because of their age, and one in four jobseekers refrain from applying to jobs due to feeling too old.
It’s not surprising then that one in three candidates over 50 worry that their age will limit their chances of getting hired.
Incentives and implementations
Helpfully, the report takes a proactive approach when it comes to overcoming age bias, and looks at what businesses and individuals are doing, and can do.
Over half of businesses say they have not implemented age diversity strategies, even though three in four full-time employees who are 55 (and over) would be open to working beyond retirement age. This is estimated to add 300K to 700K workers, and £11.9 to
£23.5 billion to the UK economy annually.
To retain workers 55 and over, the top benefits cited were, in order of popularity: flexible working hours, retirement savings plans, performance bonuses, insurance, and remote/hybrid work options.
While the top incentives for people over 60 to continue working past retirement were: flexible working hours, flexi-retirement, financial incentives, health assistance, and recognition.
Clearly employers and recruiters have a lot of work to do in improving age inclusivity. From tracking and championing age diversity, removing biassed language from job ads, and shifting to “culture add” instead of “cultural fit”, there’s plenty of positive
changes to be made.
What jobseekers can do
If you’re looking for a new role, often your first point of contact with a company is a job ad. However, 35% of candidates over 50 say they wouldn’t apply for a role if the language in the ad didn’t resonate with them.
The research shows that older jobseekers, especially those over 60 (69%), are more likely to apply for ads that highlight personality and soft skills.
Another factor is gender. Job ads that highlight traits like ‘approachability’ motivate 71% of women aged 55 and above, whereas males in the same age range are less swayed.
Similarly, 62% of older women are more likely to apply if communication and listening skills are emphasised, while men are less affected when these qualities are mentioned.
Look out for inclusive language in job specs. According to the report, words like “fast-paced” or “dynamic” may imply a preference for younger candidates, as does a focus on skills and competencies over experience.
Equally, look for language like “relevant experience” and “track record”, as these signal an appreciation for real-world experience.
To help mitigate age bias as an individual, focus on skills, competencies and transferrable experience, and avoid sharing specific dates on your CV where possible.
The latter is already the norm in some U.S. states like Colorado, where candidates seeking employment are not required to disclose dates of attendance at or graduation from educational institutions.
Stereotypes and self-exclusion
Sarah Vickerstaff, professor at University of Kent, says stereotypes about older workers can be internalised and lead to self-exclusion or reduced performance, also known as ‘stereotype threat’.
“Overall, such stereotypes can shape how individuals understand their feelings and behaviours. As a result, internalised bias often causes older candidates to opt out of roles they are well-qualified for, which limits their opportunities and narrows the
talent pool for employers.”
“That‘s why, older candidates tend to submit fewer applications but see a similar success rate, as they more acutely focus on roles that align with their skills.”
Though older workers spend around the same time applying for jobs, they apply for fewer roles and go through fewer interviews before landing a position. “While this may sound positive, it underscores their perception of limited opportunities,” says Vickerstaff.
And while 60% of candidates feel comfortable using AI tools to create CVs and cover letters, this drops to 46% for over-50s, and 42% for over-60s.
This contributes to a reduced number of applications, though this may not be a bad thing.
Recruiters and hiring managers say they are inundated with an influx of irrelevant AI-assisted applications, so uniquely personalised applications are now more valuable than ever.
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