Addressing Ageism in the Workplace: Creating Age-Inclusive Workplaces is no longer a “nice to have” for employers. It is central to building fairer, more productive, and more resilient organisations. In a session from The Allyship in the Workplace Conference 2026 On Demand, Tracy Riddell, Head of Age Friendly Employment at the Centre for Ageing Better, explored how ageism shows up at work and what employers can do to challenge it.
Her message was clear: age-friendly employment is not about prioritising one generation over another. It is about recognising that workers of all ages face assumptions, barriers, and stereotypes, and that better workplace practices benefit everyone.
Why Age-Inclusive Workplaces Matter
Riddell began by inviting attendees to reflect on their own assumptions about younger workers, older workers, and multi-generational teams. This was a powerful starting point because ageism is often subtle. It can appear in recruitment language, workplace “banter”, training decisions, or even in the way people talk about retirement.
One of the most important points from the session was that younger and older workers are often united by the stereotypes they face. Lazy assumptions about attitudes, abilities, ambition, or adaptability can limit opportunities at both ends of the age spectrum. Instead of setting generations against each other, employers should focus on creating workplaces where different experiences and perspectives strengthen the organisation.
Riddell also highlighted that older workers already make up a significant part of the UK workforce, and employers need to prepare for a labour market where attracting, retaining, and supporting experienced employees will be increasingly important. Multi-generational teams can bring strong benefits, including knowledge-sharing, skills retention, and innovation, but only when workplace systems allow everyone to contribute fully.
Addressing Ageism in the Workplace: Creating Age-Inclusive Workplaces Starts with Recognising Bias
Ageism is not always obvious. It may not appear as a direct comment or decision, but it can still influence who gets hired, who gets trained, who feels included, and who leaves the workplace earlier than they intended.
In the session, Riddell identified several areas where ageism commonly appears: recruitment, learning and development, access to health and work benefits, workplace culture, and internalised ageism. Each of these areas gives employers a practical starting point for change.
1. Recruitment: Removing Barriers for Older Applicants
Recruitment is one of the clearest places where ageism can affect outcomes. Riddell shared that research from the Centre for Ageing Better found 36% of people aged 50 to 70 feel at a disadvantage when applying for jobs because of their age.
This disadvantage can be reinforced by job adverts that use narrow or coded language, such as wording that implies the ideal candidate is young, high-energy, or at an early career stage. It can also appear in website imagery that only shows younger employees, or in interview processes that assume every candidate is familiar with current recruitment formats.
Employers can take practical steps by reviewing job adverts, using inclusive imagery, making flexible working options clear from the start, and giving candidates transparent information about what to expect during interviews. Hiring managers also need support to recognise and challenge their own assumptions about older candidates, including assumptions about capability, ambition, or manageability.
2. Learning and Development: Keeping Opportunities Open to All Ages
Riddell noted that workers over 50 are less likely than any other age group to receive on-the-job training. This can happen when managers assume older workers are less interested in development, close to retirement, or unlikely to benefit from new training opportunities.
These assumptions can become self-fulfilling. If older workers are not encouraged to take part in development, they may become less visible in progression pathways or feel that investment is no longer intended for them.
A useful action for employers is to examine learning and development data by age. If participation among workers over 50 is lower, leaders should ask why. Are opportunities being communicated equally? Are line managers having development conversations with everyone? Are training programmes designed in a way that respects prior experience rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach?
3. Health, Adjustments, and Psychological Safety
Age-inclusive workplaces must also make it safe for employees to discuss health needs, caring responsibilities, or adjustments without fear that doing so will damage their career or lead to being pushed out.
Riddell explained that some older workers may avoid asking for support because they worry it will be used against them. This is a cultural issue as much as a policy issue. If people do not trust that their needs will be handled fairly, they may leave the workplace earlier than necessary.
Line managers play a crucial role here. They need the confidence and skills to have respectful conversations, understand adjustments, and redesign work where appropriate. This might include flexibility around medical appointments, changes to working patterns, or support for employees balancing work with caring responsibilities.
Workplace Culture: The Everyday Signs of Ageism
Culture is often where ageism becomes normalised. Riddell gave examples such as internal success stories that only celebrate younger employees, informal social activities that exclude older colleagues, or jokes and birthday cards that rely on negative stereotypes about ageing.
These behaviours may be dismissed as harmless, but they can reinforce the idea that getting older is something to mock, hide, or fear. Over time, that can affect confidence, belonging, and career decisions.
Culture change does not always require large-scale transformation programmes. Employers can start by paying attention to language, representation, and everyday interactions. Are people of different ages visible in communications? Are social activities inclusive? Are age-related jokes challenged in the same way other forms of exclusionary behaviour would be?
Internalised Ageism: Challenging Our Own Assumptions
One of the most relatable parts of Riddell’s session was her discussion of internalised ageism. She spoke about the self-limiting thoughts that can arise with age, such as wondering whether you are “too old” to apply for an opportunity, learn something new, or put yourself forward.
This matters because ageism is not only something that happens to people externally. It can also shape how individuals see their own potential. Age-inclusive workplaces help counter this by making development, progression, flexibility, and recognition available throughout people’s working lives.
Policies That Support Age-Friendly Employment
Strong policies provide a foundation for age inclusion, but they need to be visible, accessible, and actively used. Riddell highlighted several important areas, including flexible working, carer’s leave, and menopause support.
Flexible working is especially important because it can help older workers remain in employment or return to work. This might include reduced hours, adjusted schedules, hybrid working, or different ways of structuring responsibilities. However, flexibility should not be treated as an exception or a favour. It should be built into workforce planning and discussed openly from recruitment onwards.
Carer’s leave is also vital, particularly for employees who support parents, partners, or other family members. Menopause policies and action plans can further support employees whose symptoms affect their working lives. The broader lesson is that workers’ needs change over time, and employers should be ready to respond with practical support rather than assumptions.
What Employers Can Do Next
Riddell closed by pointing attendees towards the Age-Friendly Employer Pledge, which is free to sign up to and open to UK employers. She also introduced the concept of NETER’s: people aged 50 up to state pension age who are not employed, in training, education, or retired. According to the Centre for Ageing Better’s calculation shared in the session, there are around 2.9 million NETER’s in the UK.
For employers, the takeaway is simple: age inclusion is not only about fairness, although fairness matters. It is also about workforce resilience, skills retention, and creating better jobs for everyone.
Conclusion: Building Better Workplaces for Every Generation
Addressing Ageism in the Workplace: Creating Age-Inclusive Workplaces requires employers to look honestly at recruitment, development, culture, flexibility, and the assumptions that shape everyday decisions. Tracy Riddell’s session reminds us that age-friendly employment is not a niche issue. It is a practical route to stronger, more inclusive workplaces.
To take action, start with a review of your current practices. Look at who applies, who is hired, who receives training, who feels safe asking for adjustments, and who is represented in your workplace culture. Small changes can make a meaningful difference, especially when they are backed by leadership commitment and honest allyship.
You can watch Tracy Riddell’s full session as part of The Allyship in the Workplace Conference 2026, now available On Demand.