Outdated attitudes among both employers and workers are impeding Australia’s push to maximise productivity through fully engaging its workforce, says Carole Brown, the National President of the Career Development Association of Australia (CDAA).

“This is no more apparent than in the continuing discriminatory attitudes and practices of some employers to older workers as well as those among employees themselves,” says Ms Brown.

Following the release this week of the results of the first of CDAA’s new national survey series – Career Snapshots - Ms Brown said, “although the issue of age discrimination is gaining more attention in the media, clients of CDAA members consistently report experiences where potential employers have implied or explicitly stated that they are too old for the job for which they have applied.

“Concerns are also expressed about team fit, being overqualified, having a lack of up-to-date skills, being inflexible, slow or unwilling to learn as well as concerns about health and fitness,” says Ms Brown.

For those already employed, the survey also indicated that it is common for older workers to:

• be overlooked for training and rewards programs;
• encounter strong resistance to moving into entry level positions required for career change;
• be considered not as productive as younger counterparts; and
• be overlooked for career opportunities.

“It seems there is a disconnect between the stated commitment of governments and industry to employing and retaining older workers and the actual experience of many workers looking to remain employed or re-enter the workforce,” says Ms Brown.

While older workers have much to offer in regard to experience and corporate knowledge and in fact are recognised for their commitment and reliability, they are also impeded by factors within their own control. These include having:

• a lack of up-to-date technology skills;
• low levels of personal confidence;
• an inability to market their transferable skills;
• poor career management skills;
• lack of knowledge about education and training opportunities; and
• an inability to re-package knowledge and skills in order to tap into the changing employment market.

84% of survey respondents believe older workers see themselves as being locked into their current employment situation, unable to embark on a job or career change, or re-negotiate their current working arrangements with confidence.

“It is clear that older workers need to be better equipped to manage their careers. More effort needs to be focused on understanding the particular nature of career transition in the latter years of working life,” says Ms Brown.

The survey has shown that the top three factors that encourage older workers to remain in the workforce are flexible hours and work practices, supportive workplace cultures and opportunities to mentor.

“Both attitudinal change and shifts in management practices need to occur to engage older workers. Opportunities to work flexible hours, to job share, and to be employed in meaningful and explicitly valued work, commensurate with their knowledge and experience are important,” says Ms Brown.

“With these changes, Australia will be able to maximize the contribution of this sector of its human capital.”

This first survey of the Career Snapshots series features CDAA’s members’ views about older workers - their unique contributions, factors impeding their participation in the workforce, and the nature of the career and transition issues most relevant to them.

The full report can be accessed online at: http://www.cdaa.org.au/content/career-snapshots