Age discrimination among the most common forms of discrimination

A recent survey conducted by recruitment firm Matrix reveals that slightly over 50% of employees in Ireland have encountered or observed discrimination within their work environment. The study, which gathered responses from 1,400 participants, highlights that 20% of the workforce personally experienced instances of discrimination, while 32% bore witness to such incidents. The dominant forms of discrimination observed were associated with inequities in pay and age, accounting for 30% of reported cases, as documented in Matrix's 2023 Workplace Equality Survey. Gender-based discrimination closely followed, comprising 25% of the reported cases.

Opportunities for workers over 50

Concerning age discrimination, more than two-thirds of surveyed individuals stated that employees above the age of 50 encountered fewer opportunities for career advancement compared to their younger counterparts. This represents a notable increase of 19 percentage points compared to the previous year's findings. When asked the age at which job mobility might become challenging, almost half (48%) of the participants identified those aged 50 and above as facing obstacles.

Looking at the positive side, the majority (89%) of surveyed workers agree that individuals aged 50 and above contribute as much to the workplace as those under 40:

• 55% believe older workers possess valuable life skills

• 51% think mature employees can effectively mentor and guide younger colleagues

• 48% consider older workers to be more dependable compared to younger ones

On the other hand, among the 11% who feel that those over 50 contribute less than those under 40, half of them attribute this to older workers being less familiar with digital technology and new modes of communication.