There are growing concerns about ageism in the workplace, with employers increasingly viewing potential employees over 50, as older and more Australians are needing to work for longer, after the pension age was lifted to 67 amid the cost-of-living crisis. People are being left in financial limbo, unable to find a job, but too young to get the age pension.
00:00Kerry Forrest sees herself as a young and active 65-year-old.
00:07She's been applying for jobs for three years and has faced a series of rejections.
00:14With each one, it's a kick in the guts.
00:17It's hard to keep your motivation up.
00:21It's hard to keep the positivity up.
00:24Kerry has some casual employment and receives jobseeker payments when she doesn't work enough hours.
00:30But she needs a permanent position to pay off her mortgage.
00:34I've never had problems in the past. What's different? I'm 65. That's what's different.
00:39Cost of living, low superannuation balances and a lift in the pension age to 67 means more Australians are needing to work for longer.
00:49But some are finding it difficult to secure employment.
00:53What we're seeing over the last three years is we are on an upward cycle.
00:57So we're experiencing more unemployment for older workers. So that's those over the age of 50.
01:03A recent survey found almost a quarter of recruiters classify workers aged 51 to 55 as older.
01:12Two years ago, only 10% took that view.
01:16Pointing to pernicious ageism in the workplace.
01:19So this sense that if you're an older worker, you're more disposable, you might be of less value.
01:25And perceptions that older Australians are less tech savvy could further impact on employment opportunities with the rise of artificial intelligence.
01:35That's a misnomer. What we know is that older workers can in fact be as productive as young workers.
01:41They can in fact adapt to new technologies.
01:45As Australia's population ages, employers are being urged to consider the value of older workers,
01:51particularly fulfilling widespread labour shortages.
01:55Well, as a property in fact, you're paying for the getaway.
01:59It's also your age of 9.
02:00What we know is, people have experienced in the company that's difficult.
02:03In fact, you're in a company that's different.
02:05At least a few years, they're in a company that's different.
02:06Yes, people are in the company that we're still building and paying for now.
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