If you’re in your 40s, you’re probably hitting your stride at work — experienced, confident, and (hopefully) well paid. But in some Australian workplaces, you’re also closer to being considered “old” than you might like to think.

A recent Australian Human Rights Commission survey found that almost one in four employers think workers over 50 are “old”. That means many employees are being labelled “past it” a full 15–20 years before the pension age.

Why This Matters

Ageism in hiring and promotion isn’t just a moral issue — it’s a business problem. When organisations undervalue experience, they:

• Lose institutional knowledge
• Spend more on recruiting and training replacements
• Miss out on the mix of perspectives that comes from age-diverse teams

From a psychological perspective, ageism also hits motivation and engagement. Being subtly sidelined can lead to disengagement, presenteeism, or even early retirement — all of which hurt both the person and the business.

The Stereotypes We Need to Drop

Older workers are often stereotyped as:

• Resistant to change
• Slower to learn new tech
• More expensive than younger hires

Yet research consistently shows no meaningful drop in job performance due to age — and in many cases, older workers are more reliable, adaptable, and resilient than their younger colleagues.

What HR Can Do

• Challenge bias in recruitment: remove age-identifying details from applications, and focus on capability.
• Offer development at all stages: upskilling shouldn’t stop at mid-career.
• Celebrate contributions: recognise achievements and expertise, not just tenure.
• Support flexible work: many older workers stay longer when they can balance work with other priorities.

My Personal Take

At 40, I still feel like I’m in my prime — but I can see the line in the distance where employers might quietly start counting me out. It’s a reminder that if we want our future selves to be valued, we need to advocate now for workplaces that judge people by skill and performance, not date of birth.