Britain s age profile is changing. In wider markets, too, there are changes. If employers make decisions about who to recruit, who to train, or who to promote on irrelevant factors such as age, they restrict their choice. Basing job decisions on age can reduce an employer s choice of the most suitable candidates by up to a quarter. To maintain a competitive edge, organisations need to employ an age diverse workforce which reflects the demands of its changing community and potential markets.
Some people say that older workers are less able or willing to learn new skills.
They point to the proverb that says you can t teach an old dog new tricks. Many employers, though, have found that this is simply not true. Many older workers who lost their jobs in the 1980s and early 1990s have successfully moved into new careers. That doesn t mean that older people should be employed at the expense of younger people, or that they should be preferred to younger ones, simply because they are older. Age diversity is about getting the best person for the job, regardless of age, and making sure they have the skills or the life experiences they need to do the job.