Fed: Little interest in mature-age workers, survey finds

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2006
Fed: Little interest in mature-age workers, survey finds

CANBERRA, April 10 AAP - Less than half of Australian employers are actively seeking
to attract and retain mature-age workers, a business survey has found.

This is despite pressure across industry from a lack of skilled workers.

The Hudson Report survey found the majority of Australian employers were failing to
actively attract and retain mature-aged workers, despite the nation's rapidly ageing workforce
and growing skills shortage.

The recruitment firm's survey of 8,345 employers showed that only 40.7 per cent of
Australian employers were actively seeking to attract and retain older employees.

Hudson president Anne Hatton said that while employers were slightly more proactive
than two years ago, the majority of organisations were still not tapping into the skilful
and highly experienced demographic.

"Australia's employment landscape is being shaped by the spectre of an ageing workforce
and an intensifying skills shortage," she said in a statement.

"These findings are a wake-up call to Australian business."

AAP dep/so/wjf/de

KEYWORD: WORKPLACE MATURE

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