Employing mature age workers can benefit your business. Age diversity can improve both the productivity and resourcefulness of your workforce as well as client satisfaction.
On this page:
Have you seen our recruitment posters?
Show job seekers that your organisation values age diversity. Download and display our posters to encourage applications from people of all ages and demonstrate your commitment to age-inclusive recruitment.
Support to recruit and retain mature age workers
- Workforce Australia – Access free recruitment services and connect with job seekers across Australia. Workforce Australia is delivered by a network of employment services providers in over 1,700 locations across Australia.
- Jobs Hub – Access information and support to help attract, recruit and onboard workers.
- Wage subsidies – Businesses may be eligible for a financial incentive of up to $10,000 (including GST) when hiring eligible job seekers.
Tools and resources for employers
Access practical tools and resources to help you attract, recruit, retain and support mature age workers in your workplace.
Self-assessment tool
The Self-assessment tool helps you assess how well your organisation manages mature age workers. The assessment takes about 15 minutes to complete. There are 32 questions, including:
- the age profile of your workforce
- workforce data
- your human resource management policies
- recruitment and induction practices, including training and development.
At the end of the assessment, you’ll get a tailored action plan for your organisation to help with recruitment strategies and to set goals on age diversity for your workplace.
Please note the information provided does not constitute legal, financial or other form of professional advice.
Training on employing mature age workers
Three interactive training modules show how you can employ and retain mature age workers. The modules include information, quizzes and useful links about mature age workers and how to build an age-inclusive workplace.
- Busting myths (10 minutes to complete).
- Is my workplace inclusive? (15 minutes to complete).
- Building age inclusive workplaces (10 to 20 minutes to complete).
A downloadable fact sheet is available for each module with a summary of the information covered.
Posters
Download and display these posters to encourage applications from people of all ages and demonstrate your commitment to age-inclusive recruitment:
We’re hiring – all ages welcome!
Mature age employment poster
Brochure
Other useful links
Explore the resources below for information, tools and practical guidance to support mature age workers and age-inclusive workplaces.
- The department’s Newsroom provides news, data, analysis and case studies. Read:
- how Nunn’s Dairy found a new local employee – Workforce Australia facilitated a perfect pairing for Nunn’s Dairy and Patrick
- the two-part interview series with Robert Fitzgerald AM, Age Discrimination Commissioner:
- Career Revive resources – Resources that support businesses to attract and retain women returning to work after a career break.
- Hiring Outside the Box – A webinar series for employers hosted by the department’s Employer Liaison Officers, where you will learn about alternative recruitment practices to develop your workforce.
- Older workers resource hub – Explore the Australian Human Rights Commission’s publications, research, resources and projects on age discrimination and age-inclusive workplaces.
- Breaking the age barrier: transforming age attitudes in health care – An opportunity for health and community organisations to deliver a free workshop with the Australian Human Rights Commission to help identify and address age related attitudes within their organisation and promote age-inclusive practices.
- Good Recruitment for Older Workers (GROW) – Developed by the Centre for Ageing Better and the Behavioural Insights Team, this toolkit provides practical tools to minimise age bias in the recruitment process, including guidance on creating inclusive job advertisements, templates for interview invitations and scheduling, and tips on discussing flexible working with candidates.
- Healthy Older Worker (HOW) toolkit (PDF) – A practical resource to help organisations design healthy, safe and sustainable workplaces for older workers.
- Equal opportunity and diversity – Information to help your business provide equal opportunity employment and flexible working arrangements.
- Fair Work Ombudsman website – Guidance on the laws that make all workplaces equal and fair.