A study from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), published in the journal Employee Relations, reveals that discrimination against older job candidates is intensified by factors of gender and race, underscoring the persistence of ageism within the UK labour market.

The research consisted of four experiments, each using online job applications submitted by fictitious candidates to actual job openings in the UK, specifically within the sales, restaurant, and café sectors. In the initial experiment, the researchers submitted applications from two fictitious candidates: a control candidate, a 28-year-old white British male, and a 50-year-old white British male. Subsequent experiments involved pairing the 28-year-old with other fictitious candidates: a 50-year-old white British female in the second experiment, a 50-year-old black British male in the third, and a 50-year-old black British female in the fourth. The number of matched application pairs varied across the experiments, with 190 in the first, 221 in the second, 184 in the third, and 209 in the fourth.

Applications included an email with an attached application letter and CV. Each CV disclosed demographic details and work history, stating the candidate’s year of birth, gender, ethnicity, marital status (noting if married with one child), closely matched previous employment and education history (both candidates had completed school to Year 11), hobbies including sports and cinema, and contact information.

The findings indicated a significant bias in favour of the younger, white British male candidate across all experiments. He was 16% more likely than the 50-year-old white British male, 18% more likely than the 50-year-old white British female, 22% more likely than the 50-year-old black British male, and 29% more likely than the 50-year-old black British female to be offered a job interview. Moreover, the younger candidates also received interview offers for positions with higher average annual salaries. In contrast, the older white British males were offered interviews for positions with salaries on average 11.5% lower than those provided to the younger males. This discrepancy increased further across other demographics, with older white British females, older black British males, and older black British females facing even more significant salary disparities of 12%, 13%, and 15% lower, respectively.

This research, conducted by Professor Nick Drydakis and Dr Anna Paraskevopoulou of the Centre for Pluralist Economics at ARU, is pioneering in its comparison of job vacancy access and wage sorting among older versus younger employees, further analysed through the lenses of gender and race. Professor Drydakis commented on the findings, noting the stark persistence of age discrimination in the labour market years after the enactment of the 2010 Equality Act, compounded by racial and gender biases.

The results underscore the urgent need for action, highlighting the additional challenges faced by older individuals in securing interviews for lower-paid jobs despite often having extensive work experience. Such challenges are particularly pertinent as the UK faces an ageing population and rising retirement ages. Ensuring equal treatment for an active, older population in the job market is not just a matter of fairness, but also essential for leveraging their potential contribution to economic growth and societal well-being.

More information: Nick Drydakis et al, A field study of age discrimination in the workplace: the importance of gender and race‒pay the gap, Employee Relations. DOI: 10.1108/ER-06-2021-0277

Journal information: Employee Relations Provided by Anglia Ruskin University