Eighty-three per cent of Australians believe that older workers are being discriminated against in the workforce, according to a Talent2 survey of more than 1,200 people
Eighty-three per cent of Australians believe that older workers are being discriminated against in the workforce, according to a Talent2 survey of more than 1,200 people. It also found that 69 per cent believe that employees over the age of 40 are in the employment no-go zone. A similar survey conducted in 1999 revealed that 26 per cent of employees felt that older workers were being passed over in favour of their younger counterparts. Geoff Whytcross of Talent2 said 80 per cent of respondents admitted that maturity is a greater value to business than youth, and noted that 95 per cent of those respondents were CEOs, most of whom were in the over 40 age bracket.
Leaders can’t bridge emotional intelligence gap
While leaders can rise to the top of their organisations through technical ability and high IQ levels, many may fail to inspire and energise their senior teams because of a lack of emotional intelligence, a recent Mercer Human Resource Consulting seminar heard. Increased self-awareness, emotion management and appropriate use of 360 degree feedback could help improve leadership effectiveness in many organisations. “Self-awareness and the ability to be sensitive to the needs and emotions of others are critical skills for the 21st century leader. These skills allow leaders to engage employees and inspire higher levels of performance,” said Paul Sanchez, head of communication consulting at Mercer.
Job seekers told to watch backs on privacy
Job seekers were recently advised to watch their backs as some recruiters become lax about privacy legislation and ethics, according to Management Recruiters Australia’s Margaret Locke. Strict observance of privacy is central to maintaining trust with clients, she said, yet some job candidates are being dually represented by unscrupulous recruiters. Their resumes are being ‘sprayed’out to prospective employers without their knowledge or consent, she said. Another increasingly common scenario in the tight candidate market is the one where a recruiter advertises a non-existent position simply to attract new job seekers to their database, she said. These candidates may then be presented to employers for consideration, again without their knowledge or consent.
