Employers
have been criticised by a government minister for doing too little to eradicate
workplace ageism – which he describes as “just as devastating as racial or
sexual discrimination".
Pensions
minister Malcolm Wicks said the problem of age discrimination was growing
despite skills shortages and a shrinking working population.
He
said HR professionals should be doing more to break down the barriers facing
older workers and helping to dispel some of the negative attitudes.
However,
he dismissed calls for more financial incentives, such as tax breaks for
employees and businesses, when working beyond the traditional retirement age.
