Age Discrimination At Work

People who suffer discrimination at work are more likely to be a victim because of their age than any other factor, including race or gender -- according to new research from the MORI Social Research Institute.

Older workers are considered to be resistant to change and training and lacking technological skills, whilst younger workers are thought to be inexperienced, unreliable, irresponsible, more likely to throw 'sickies' and lacking organisational skills.

The research -- commissioned by Age Positive to coincide with the start of Age Positive Week -- shows that one in five people (22%) have experienced some form of discrimination in the workplace. Of those almost two in five (38%) cite that it was due to their age -- by far the biggest cause mentioned.

Looking just at those people who feel they have been discriminated against because of their age, almost two in five (38%) say this happened during the initial recruitment process. Others say it was during the promotion process (25%), during the selection stage (25%) and during training and development (16%).

Age discrimination during the recruitment process is far more common amongst men, with more than two in five (45%) of the male victims of age discrimination citing it in contrast to a quarter (27%) of the women. Indeed, a similar percentage of the women (26%) suggest that age discrimination is as common in the promotion process as it is during recruitment for a job or career.

The research also looked at the general public's attitude towards colleagues of different ages. When asked which characteristics they typically associate with mature workers (people between the ages of 50 and 65), the most commonly cited preconception is that they are resistant to change, with around one in three (34%) stating this. Around three in 10 (29%) feel that older workers lack technological skills.

When asked to consider characteristics they associated with younger workers (those aged 16-25), by far the most popular was their inexperience, with over half (53%) stating this. Other characteristics associated with younger workers include a belief that they are unreliable (38%), irresponsible (35%), more likely to take time off sick (33%), lack organisational skills (25%), stay in their job for a shorter period of time (22%) and that they lack technological skills (12%).

Topline Results

• The questions were placed on MORI's Omnibus, and a nationally representative quota sample of 2,072 adults were interviewed throughout Great Britain by MORI / Field & Tab across constituency-based sampling points.
• Interviews were carried out using CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing) face-to-face in respondents' homes between 31 October - 4 November 2002.
• Data have been weighted to reflect the national population profile.
• An asterisk (*) indicates a percentage of less than 0.5% but greater than zero.
• Where percentages do not add up to 100 this may be due to computer rounding, multiple responses or the exclusion of don't know categories.
• Base: All (2,072), unless otherwise specified.

Q Do you believe that you have ever been unfairly discriminated against in the work environment due to the following?

Q Thinking about when you experienced discrimination against you due to your age, was it during any of the following processes?

Base: All who believe they have been unfairly discriminated against in the work environment because of age (159)

Q In your opinion, which of the following would you most associate with mature workers? By mature we mean those aged 50 -- 65.

Q In your opinion, which of the following would you most associate with young workers? By young workers we mean those aged 16 -- 25.

Q When you hear the phrase 'middle age' what age groups do you think it refers to?

Q Up until what age do you feel you will be capable of working in paid employment?