Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Equality, diversity and inclusionAge discrimination

Be ready for the age discrimination laws

by Personnel Today 4 Apr 2006
by Personnel Today 4 Apr 2006

Ageism is the form of discrimination most frequently cited by employees. But the regulations to prevent it – which come into force in October – will provide important rights and responsibilities for every employee and business in the UK.

Between now and October, I’ll be writing a series of columns exclusively for Personnel Today about age discrimination. I want all HR professionals to be prepared, so in each column, I will address key areas that I know you want to be clear about.

Areas of concern

When the government consulted on age discrimination last year, employers told us that retirement, redundancy, occupational pensions, service-related benefits, ‘objective justification’ and ‘transitional arrangements’ were all key concerns. I will address all of these – as well as the important issue of vocational training – over the coming months. First, though, I’d like to tell you why I think the new laws are so important – for society and for business.

Ageing workforce

In its latest projections, the Office for National Statistics indicates that nearly one-third of the labour force will be aged over 50 by 2020. So businesses increasingly need to recognise the benefits of age diversity in the workplace. Add to that the competitive challenge we face from Asia, where rates of growth are unprecedented and wage costs are a fraction of our own, and there is a real need to ensure that all our workplaces are high performers.

The benefits

Treating staff fairly and recognising individual talents and needs are not just the right things to do, they also make good business sense. Employers who recruit from the widest pool of possible applicants are able to choose the best candidates. And this has a positive impact on productivity. When the new laws are in force, it is estimated that annual benefits to employers will be between £83m and £706m per year, depending on company size.

Tackling discrimination helps to attract, motivate and retain staff. It helps employers make the best use of skills and experience. It can lead to a more diverse workforce, new ideas and access to wider markets. Fairness and productivity go hand in hand.

The laws will help to ensure that people are no longer denied jobs or harassed because of their age, and that workers of all ages will have an equal chance of training and promotion.

Get ready

HR professionals will know that laws are already in place to protect workers from discrimination on the grounds of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The laws on age address the final frontier of discrimination. It’s particularly important because age-related issues affect all employees at some stage in their working lives.

The regulations are a huge step forward. Britain will only thrive in the future if it rises to the demographic challenge it currently faces. The age discrimination laws are a key factor in adapting to new challenges, and all of us have a part to play. Employers, in particular, have a crucial role.

With only six months to go, organisations need to start thinking about the age-based aspects of their HR procedures. I strongly urge HR personnel to consult the regulations – and guidance available on the Acas website in late April – for a smooth transition to what will be a genuine revolution for HR.

In my next column, I will address ‘objective justification’ – the tough test employers will have to satisfy to justify different treatment on grounds of age.

By Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry



  • Do you have any specific queries on age? E-mail your questions to [email protected]

  • For full regulations, go to www.dti.gov.uk/er/equality/age.htm

  • Employment relations minister Gerry Sutcliffe talks exclusively to Employers’ Law in April’s issue


Avatar
Personnel Today

previous post
Conservatives plead for reprieve for Home Computing Initiative
next post
Entrepreneurs in China let down easy

You may also like

Attracting diverse young talent to the ‘secret’ world...

28 Jun 2022

Gender pay gap ‘won’t close until 2151’

27 Jun 2022

Don’t be gloomy over social mobility in the...

24 Jun 2022

Bias stopping STEM professionals returning after career break

23 Jun 2022

Black, Asian and LGBTQ+ workers ‘overlooked’ at work

20 Jun 2022

UK in urgent need of female tradespeople finds...

17 Jun 2022

CIPD Festival of Work: ‘Businesses will fail if...

16 Jun 2022

Construction blighted by skills shortage as sector steps...

16 Jun 2022

Google to pay $118m to settle equal pay...

15 Jun 2022

Diversity versus inclusion: Why the difference matters

13 Jun 2022
  • NSPCC revamps its learning strategy with child wellbeing at its heart PROMOTED | The NSPCC’s mission is to prevent abuse and neglect...Read more
  • Diversity versus inclusion: Why the difference matters PROMOTED | It’s possible for an environment to be diverse, but not inclusive...Read more
  • Five steps for organisations across the globe to become more skills-driven PROMOTED | The shift in the world of work has been felt across the globe...Read more
  • The future of workforce development PROMOTED | Northumbria University and partners share insight...Read more
  • Strathclyde Business School expands its Degree Apprenticeship offer in England PROMOTED | The University of Strathclyde is expanding its programmes...Read more
  • The Search for Talent: Six Major Employer Pitfalls PROMOTED | The Great Resignation continues unabated...Read more
  • Navigating the widening “Skills Confidence Gap” in 2022, and beyond PROMOTED | Cornerstone OnDemand conducted a global study...Read more
  • Apprenticeships are the solution to your recruitment problems PROMOTED | Apprenticeships have the pulling power...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+