Ageism in the workplace has risen in the past year, with 77% of respondents to Matrix Recruitment's latest workplace equality survey believing ageism is a problem, an increase of 13 points year-on-year.

The survey of 2,700 adults found that seven out of ten have experienced discrimination in the workplace in some form. Of those, one-fifth reported being excluded from activities because of their age.

Half of respondents said that workers over the age of 50 have fewer promotional opportunities compared to younger colleagues, and when asked at what age it might be difficult to move job, 26% said that over-50s would struggle.

However, four out of five agree that people over the age of 50 have as much to contribute to the workplace as those under the age of 40.

“It’s disappointing to see that ageism continues to be an issue in Irish workplaces, particularly when it comes to those over 50 and at a time when the retirement age in Ireland is ever increasing," said Breda Dooley of Matrix Recruitment.

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"While agism seems to be on the rise, its is encouraging to see that people also understand the many advantage of having a mature worker as a colleague or employee, including many years of gained experience and knowledge."

Two-thirds of those surveyed said having children impacts a woman's career progress and, of those, 57% believe maternity leave can impede progression professionally.

The majority of workers surveyed said that employers have a responsibility to their staff to offer training on issues relating to equality, discrimination, and diversity.

The survey indicates that employers are living up to this expectation, with 77% of respondents claiming they have received training at work on this topic, up from 38% in 2021.

"Our survey findings indicate that unconscious bias and discrimination is still a problem in Irish workplaces and not all companies have evolved at the same pace. Diversity needs to be an intrinsic part of every company’s ethos and culture."

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