Australia – A very positive perception of mature age workers by employers

Attracting and retaining an engaged and productive workforce is key to the success of any organisation and, in turn, is critical to a thriving economy.

With an ageing Australian population and skills shortages experienced across many industries, it is more important than ever for organisations to encourage experienced workers to remain in the workforce.

Whilst the benefits of attracting and retaining mature age workers have been widely discussed and promoted in recent times, the reality is that mature aged men and women face signi cant challenges in nding paid employment. There are 80,000 unemployed Australians aged 55 years or over, which represents an increase of 12%.

Economically, research shows that an increase of 5% in paid employment of Australians over the age of 55 would result in a $48 billion impact on the national economy each year.
In order to better understand the circumstances surrounding mature age workers, IPA has collected data by conducting two independent surveys:

1. A survey of 223 management level representatives from Australian employers; and
2. A survey of 104 workers (employed and unemployed) aged 45 years and over.

The results of the surveys show some key differences between employer and worker perceptions of the world of mature age workers, as well as a number of areas where the perceptions are remarkably similar.

In this white paper, we explore these differences and put forward recommendations to help organisations address the key issues that may prevent them from maximising the potential of the mature age workforce.

IPA has produced this white paper in support of our role as a Corporate Champions provider, partnering with the federal government to assist employers of all sizes to attract and retain mature age workers.

Employer perception – How mature age workers are regarded

The data clearly shows a very positive perception of mature age workers across the employers sampled. The employers also express that this positive perception is re ected by their clients and customers, their internal workforce, and their suppliers and external stakeholders.