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Too experienced? Too bad! How to fight subtle age discrimination at work
With only half of HR professionals and bosses open to hiring Australian workers aged 50 to 64, it’s time to rally these subtle tricks to reclaim the right to have a wrinkle at work (and not lie about your age).
By Alex Brooks
Ageism wears very quiet clothes and hides behind furtive glances.
It whispers in meetings and shows up in phrases like “you look great for your age“ or “that might have been how it used to be done” or - gulp - “you’re overqualified” or even “we’re not hiring for your experience level right now”.
Workplace discrimination is rife across Australia, according to the latest Australian Human Rights Commission and Australian HR Institute survey.
This new research found most “survey respondents consider younger workers more creative, energetic, adaptable to change, ambitious, physically capable, and proficient in using technology”.
In other words: tired and ageist clichés about older workers being less than or not equal to younger people persist.
Alarmingly, 1 in 4 HR professionals labelled workers aged 51 to 55 as “older,” and only half are open to hiring people aged 50 to 64. Even worse, 1 in 6 hiring professionals say they wouldn’t hire older workers at all.
The data reported in July 2025 found older workers scored high on loyalty (74%), reliability (64%), and handling stress (62%), but were seen as lacking in tech skills and ambition. Just 1% said they were better with technology, and only 7% saw them as more energetic.
Age discrimination is technically illegal in Australia, but it is still a problem in office boardrooms, interview rooms, and lunch rooms.
You don’t have to take it lying down with a cup of weak tea. Try these bias-fighting ideas on for size.
Reversing ageism tip 1: Show your value - and let others see it too.
Like all ‘isms’, ageism thrives in stereotypes and fixed views that older people can’t learn, that they are ‘done’ or have ‘had their day’.
So always be the person bringing up the new tool, new idea or new report that’s relevant to your workplace and industry.
Find the right industry bodies, connections on LinkedIn and right media sources to follow - and be better than the younger workmates (truly, it’s not that hard … just don’t be smug or condescending about it).
It’s easy to find great free newsletters to read on the Substack app, networking events on MeetUp and other professionals sharing information on LinkedIn.
Australian workplace statistics show that older people most commonly work in industries like health care and social assistance, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, and education and training. Their roles were most likely to be as professionals, managers or clerical and administrative workers
No matter how tired the company news and directions might be, try to understand the internal cultural shifts and corporate strategies driving the direction of your employer.
Check out these 6 workplace trends older employees should know.
Reversing ageism tip 2: Be a valuable mentor (make those youngies love you anyway!)
You don’t need an official title to mentor younger colleagues. Start reverse-mentoring without being asked.
Positively reinforcing what you’ve learned across your decades of trial and triumph in the workplace can inspire others (and you!).
Ask younger people at work what they’re reading to keep up with their industry and who they follow on their socials. Don’t judge!
Share kind words - things like ‘I really liked the way you composed that email/spoke up in the meeting/answered that question’.
Don’t wait for the HR team to officially designate you a mentor to structure these high-value intergenerational exchanges - just do it through conversation and connection.
Reversing ageism tip 3: Find the right words
Watch for the words that subtly scream ‘ageist’.
When someone says they want employees with ‘energy’, they often mean ‘youth’, or willingness to work all hours of the day and night.
Push back gently to reprogram the subtle bias with comments like:
- “Energy comes from purpose, not birth year.”
- “We’ve tried doing it that way - do you mind explaining how it went for you?”
- “How about we try this for time efficiency, and see how it goes …”
Don’t make it confrontational. These should be subtle reframes. Tiny edits in the narrative that, over time, change the ageist script.
This isn’t just your fight. Young workers face bias too - dismissed as flighty, ungrateful, or unproven. Form alliances across generations. Speak up for younger workers, too.
Younger workers saddled with massive university fee debts and little workplace experience also find it hard to assert power in the workplace.
Sometimes the most powerful advocacy is not saying, “That hurt me,” but saying, “That didn’t seem right.”
Age diversity isn't just a moral checkbox. It’s a strategic advantage. Two people born 40 years apart bring two lifetimes of wisdom to the table.
Reversing ageism tip 4: Document the microaggressions and your major wins
Firstly, don’t let anyone know that you’re trying to upend ageism lest they label you a troublemaker.
Most workplace cultures will shift and evolve if the right people call things out.
Having said that, some workplaces are reluctant to move with the times - if you have to work in one of those, it can help to document any ageist harms in a calendar note with dates and descriptions of what happened.
These calendar notes can help you do two things:
- Have a frank conversation with your manager or HR team about your concerns (obviously it’s important to word these carefully and constructively)
- Frame the conversation as a way to help your employer be more inclusive and accessible to all employees.
You can get free help on how to tackle these tricky workplace issues through Fair Work.
It also helps to keep records of your major wins - the good you manage to achieve for your employers.
When reviews or promotions come around, don’t expect your boss’s memory to work in your favour. Memory is biased. You need to remind your workplace of the value you bring. So note it down!
Reversing ageism tip 5: Don’t be afraid to go somewhere new
Plenty of people - young and old - stay in a job because they are too scared to change. Too scared to take on a new challenge.
If you try these tips and still fail, maybe it’s time to move on.
If that sounds like you, age-proof your resume and nab that job.
Most employers offer a free Employee Assistant Program where you can get free counselling and support to make positive change.
You can also get free career transition assistance as a ‘mature age worker’ by looking at resources on this federal government page. There’s also help to transition to self-employment, too.
Feature image: Canva/Vlada Karpovich
This article reflects the views and experience of the author and not necessarily the views of Citro. It contains general information only and is not intended to influence readers’ decisions about any financial products or investments. Readers’ personal circumstances have not been taken into account and they should always seek their own professional financial and taxation advice that takes into account their personal circumstances before making any financial decisions.
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