Ageism in the Irish Workplace
Age discrimination doesn’t only stifle opportunity; it undermines organisational success. As HR professionals, it’s vital we recognise where bias creeps in and embed inclusive practices across every stage of the employee lifecycle.
Why This Matters Now
Ireland’s workforce is aging rapidly. The CSO forecasts that the number of people aged 65+ will more than double from around 630,000 in 2016 to 1.5 million by 2051 (Cantillon & Vasquez del Aguila, 2011). As retirement ages shift and career lifespans extend, employers risk sidelining experienced talent, unless ageism is addressed now.
The Ageism Reality: Irish Evidence
✔️Almost 90% of workers over 55 believe their age worked against them when applying for jobs, especially in tech, while more than a third felt “too old” for consideration (Corrigan & Morgan, 2020; Keogh, 2021).
✔️In a recent Workplace Equality Study, 75% of respondents identified ageism as a workplace issue; over two-thirds say employees 50+ experience fewer promotion opportunities (Matrix Recruitment, 2023)
✔️20% of Irish workers report experiencing or witnessing age bias at work, with 30% citing age-based pay inequality (Matrix/Irish Law Society Survey, 2023) .
✔️The Workplace Relations Commission received 514 age discrimination complaints in 2022, up from 186 in 2021, a 176% increase (William Fry, 2022)
✔️Despite outdated stereotypes, evidence shows older workers learn and perform as well as younger colleagues, learning minds remain sharp into the 60s (Irish Times, 2021)
HR Priorities: What You Can Do
1.Review recruitment language and processes
Audit job descriptions and adverts for age-biased language such as “digital native”, “young and energetic”, or “fast-paced environment”.
Standardise interviews with structured scoring to reduce bias, and ensure CV shortlisting tools don’t filter candidates based on graduation dates or length of experience.
Use age-diverse interview panels and blind CV reviews to help reduce unconscious bias in early-stage hiring decisions.
2. Promote age-inclusive career pathways
Ensure L&D programmes are promoted equally across all age groups, including part-time or phased-retirement staff.
Offer mentorship both ways; experienced staff mentoring newer employees, and reverse mentoring to share digital skills or fresh perspectives.
Include 50+ employees in succession planning and leadership pipelines rather than assuming they are winding down or close to retirement.
3.Daily culture check-ins
Train managers to spot and challenge ageist remarks like “you’re too experienced for this” or “they might not be up to speed with tech”.
Embed inclusive messaging into team meetings and internal comms that reflect all ages and life stages.
Create psychologically safe spaces where employees can speak up about exclusion or assumptions based on age.
4. Targeted retention strategies
Conduct engagement surveys segmented by age group to understand what matters most at each career stage.
Introduce phased retirement, flexible work patterns or part-time leadership roles to retain older employees.Celebrate experience and institutional knowledge, include service recognition, storytelling initiatives, or peer-nominated awards for long-standing team members.
|Ageism isn’t just an HR issue,
it’s a leadership imperative |
As Ireland’s workforce continues to age, our organisations will only thrive when experience and youthful energy coexist and when age becomes an asset, not a barrier.
Now is the time to reconfigure talent strategies, making age inclusion a non-negotiable. Your people, and your bottom line, depend on it.
References
Cantillon, S. & Vasquez del Aguila, E., 2011. Older people and age discrimination in the Irish labour market. UCD School of Social Justice.
Corrigan, C. & Morgan, M., 2020. Ageism and Bullying in the Workplace. DCU Antibullying Centre.
Keogh, B., 2021. ‘Age discrimination alive and well in Irish workplaces’, The Irish Times, .
Matrix Recruitment, 2023. Workplace Equality Study.
William Fry, 2022. ‘Age matters – significant increase in age discrimination complaints’, William Fry Knowledge.
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