While diversity and inclusion have taken centre stage in many workforce conversations, age discrimination remains one of the most persistent and under-addressed forms of bias. Workers over 50 often face significant challenges, for example being overlooked for promotions, excluded from upskilling opportunities, or being pushed out before they’re ready to retire.
According to the Australian Human Rights Commission, one in three Australians has experienced ageism in the workplace, and older workers often remain unemployed for longer when they lose a job, not because of skill deficits, but because of outdated stereotypes and assumptions. 53% of over 50s believe they have been discriminated against during the hiring process!
As Australia navigates a changing workforce landscape, with a growing number of older workers, skill shortages, and shifting economic pressures, the Agenda 2025 conference on tackling age discrimination in the workplace, couldn’t be more timely or more vital.
Agenda 2025 is so important, because an ageing workforce is not a future problem, it's a current reality.
By 2030, nearly one in four Australians will be aged over 65. We cannot afford for experienced, capable individuals to be pushed out of the workforce prematurely.
Moreover, industries like healthcare, education, and construction are crying out for skilled professionals, yet many organisations continue to sideline older workers who could bring exactly what’s needed: expertise, reliability, and institutional knowledge.
Agenda 2025 creates a platform for urgent solutions. This event challenges assumptions about age, performance, and potential and it encourages organisations to embrace age diversity as an asset, not a liability and reconsider what it means to develop intergenerational working.
If your organisation is serious about diversity, resilience, and future readiness, age inclusion must be part of the plan. Agenda 2025 is the first Australian event to focus exclusively on tackling this issue and is the catalyst we need to drive awareness, action, and accountability in tackling workplace age discrimination.
You can find out more about the event, the program and the speakers at www.ageinc.au/agenda2025
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