Employers need 'balanced' attitude to older workers

20/03/2008

Employers need to take a balanced attitude towards older employees and not favour them over their younger colleagues.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) said that age discrimination "is something that happens to people at all ages".

"It's important to remember that because we now have far more positive attitudes in this country towards older workers, we shouldn't let that mean that we start having negative attitudes about younger workers," said Freda Line, diversity officer.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics showed a change in the number of older people in employment.

If found that companies began employing older men during the 1990s after supporting a steady rise in the recruiting of mature women during the previous decade.

Ms Line added: "The important thing is the mixture and the balance and recognising that actually what you need is a diversity of people".

The current retirement age is 65, although many people choose to work long after they collect their state pension.

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