Employers told to be positive towards younger workers

Younger workers can be subject to age discrimination in the workplace as well as older employees, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has stated.

Diversity Officer for the CIPD, Freda Line, commented that while the mind-set in the workplace has changed positively for experienced workers, younger employees should not feel discriminated against.

'It's important to remember that because we now have far more positive attitudes in this country towards older workers, we shouldn't let that mean that we start having negative attitudes about younger workers,' Ms Line said.

Age discrimination can affect people of 'all ages,' she added.

Ms Line advised employers to recruit workers of diverse life experience to get a good mixture and balance of employees.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics have revealed that number of people aged between 50 and the state pension age who are employed increased by eight per cent between 1994 and 2004.