This report is based on a survey of AHRI members conducted in July – August 2018 in association with the Australian Human Rights Commission. Similar surveys were conducted in 2012 and 2014 by AHRI.

Selected Key findings:

• A majority (63 per cent) of respondents classify an older worker as 61 years of age or older, an upwards shift since 2014.
• More than one in three respondents (34 per cent) believe there is no difference between older and younger workers technology skills and abilities, 14 per cent more than in 2014.
• Fifty-eight per cent of the sample group expect to retire at 66 years of age or older (compared with 42 per cent in 2014), and 20 per cent expect to retire at 71 years of age of older (16 per cent in 2014).
• Flexible work is the top reason respondents cite that would encourage them to remain in the workforce, increasing 8 per cent since 2014. And it is the most common tool organisations use to retain older workers (76 per cent).
• More than half (56 per cent) of respondent organisations do not have a transition-to-retirement strategy in place.
• Respondents indicate the main advantages of recruiting older workers are the experience they bring (76 per cent) and the professional knowledge they have acquired (68 per cent).