Combating Age Discrimination at the Workplace

Abstract

The article consists of four main parts. To begin, it examines the changing context within which organizations are operating their human resource policies and practices, especially the aging of the work force and changing public policies, and summarizes the main forms of age discrimination. Secondly it outlines the ''Age Barriers'' project and how good practice was defined. The third and main part of the article uses the results of the project to distil some key lessons for labor market participation about the factors which lead organizations to try to counteract age discrimination and the essential ingredients of successful policies. The fourth part emphasizes the importance of moving beyond specific and sometimes tokenistic examples of good practice towards an integrated age management strategy which focuses on the prevention of workforce aging. The conclusion will highlight some key action points for all participants in the labor market. The focus of the article is on policies and human resource practices (the demand side of the labor market), not the abilities of older workers. Discrimination can operate independently of work ability.