CA ANZ’s 2025 Members Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Survey Report identified ageism as the most common form of discrimination in the accounting profession. While the research shows most members feel they are valued and belong, and that both those factors are strongly correlated with job satisfaction, not everyone has the same experience of inclusion.

Nearly one in five respondents (18%) reported observing age-related negative behaviour or discrimination at work in the past five years, while 12% experienced it firsthand. Although discrimination related to age is more common among older respondents, especially in Australia, ageism also occurs at the other end of the spectrum with a notable increase among younger respondents in Australia, largely driven by women aged 18–34.

“Ageism is insidious and often overlooked as a form of discrimination prevalent in the workplace and in employment practices,” says Catherine Rickwood, a specialist in ageing, age diversity and workplace transformation. “While gainfully employed, a person’s age seems irrelevant. Yet, if a person at 45 or 50 years old accepts a redundancy package, they may struggle to find another role.”

The assumption that employees will want to retire in their 60s can limit opportunities for training or gaining experience across different departments. (The pension age in Australia is 67 and 65 in New Zealand.)

“In fact, some people need to work longer for financial reasons,” says Rickwood. “For others, the purpose, meaning and social connections that come with paid work are crucial to their overall health and wellbeing.”

Too young for consideration

As evidenced by the survey findings, ageism isn’t limited to the later stages of a career.

“I’ve been told that I should wait for a certain number of years before I applied for higher roles or further educational development, as I wasn’t well suited due to lack of experience,” says Josephine Ng CA, 2025’s chair of the NSW Young Chartered Accountants Panel. “I’ve also been told I’m too young to understand a joke or conversation, or that someone wished they were young like me and didn’t have to worry about the things that bother them.”

Monique McKewen CA, a business adviser at the New Zealand, Dunedin accounting and advisory firm BB&S, was appointed as one of the directors while still in her 20s.

“Rising through the ranks more quickly than most of my peers was challenging at first, as was managing people who had previously trained me,” she says. “I realised I had to work harder to earn respect, particularly in external settings. For example, when I meet a client for the first time, they often assume that the older person in the room is the more senior.”

Challenging stereotypes

Stereotypes manifest in two ways – how we perceive others and how we think of ourselves.

“At work, we either consciously or subconsciously make assumptions based on a person’s age and look for attitudes or behaviours that support our beliefs – what’s commonly known as confirmation bias,” says Rickwood. “Self-directed ageism occurs when we embody our ageist beliefs by applying ideas about what we should be doing at any particular age to our own lives, including when and how we should retire.”

Many stereotypes are deeply embedded in our culture and reinforced by the media – for example, that older people find it hard to relate to younger generations because they think they know it all and are attached to past ways of doing things.

“Ageism is the only form of discrimination with the potential to impact everyone,” says Rickwood. “For individuals who already experience micro-aggressions due to gender, culture, sexuality or disability it’s a double whammy of discrimination.”

Wide-ranging impacts of ageism on business

Despite the well-publicised shortage of accounting skills, some firms are losing deep knowledge and expertise by easing out older workers.

“When organisations limit employment opportunities based on age or any other form of discrimination, they’re unlikely to represent the communities they serve,” says Rickwood. “They’re missing out on the chance to understand and satisfy the needs of a broader population.”

Failure to recognise the potential of younger employees can also rob organisations of fresh ideas and innovative perspectives.

“Graduates are like sponges,” says McKewen. “They’re hungry for knowledge and as they have a learning mindset, they’re quick to pick up new skills.”

Ng believes that young people’s soft skills, such as resilience and adaptability, can improve workplace morale and encourage a more collaborative approach.

“They also tend to be more purpose driven and factoring in societal issues such as corporate social responsibility can contribute to well-rounded decision making,” she says.

Finding a new job

In Australia, it takes an average of 20 months for someone over 55 to find a new job. This compares with nine months for younger workers. According to Jobs and Skills Australia, 20% of employers consider anyone over 55 too old to work.

So, how can older CAs secure the jobs they want and are well qualified to do?

Ian Fraser, founder and director of New Zealand’s Seniors@work, strongly advises against including your age on your CV or cover letter. “I also recommend limiting your work history to the past 10 or so years,” he says. “Most recruiters are only interested in your recent experience.”

When you’re updating your application, look out for less obvious indications of your age. “Be sure to remove your graduation dates in the education section,” says Michael Edelstein from Recruitment Experts. “You should also ensure the names of firms and companies you worked for are current – for example, PwC rather than Coopers & Lybrand.”

Your age might matter less if you’re applying for a senior role such as a partner or CFO. “In this case, the exception would be if the senior management is much younger than you,” says Edelstein. “You need to know your audience.”

A LinkedIn profile can support your CV by filling in the details of your experience, recent training and professional recommendations. “Make sure it’s up to date, that the information matches your CV and that the photograph doesn’t give away your age,” says Edelstein.

One of the biggest myths about older employees is that they’re neither adaptable nor tech savvy. “Where possible, provide evidence that you’re willing and able to keep up with new technologies,” says Fraser. “There are many online courses to help you upskill.”

“Ultimately, no amount of CV engineering changes the fact that you’ll be assessed on how you look and present in the room,” says Edelstein. “Then it’s your job to demonstrate a disproportionate amount of value compared with what’s expected of you.”

Fraser urges older applicants to talk about experience, life skills and empirical common sense built up over decades.

“Employers cannot – or should not – dismiss assets like these,” he says. “It’s also important to have questions ready to ask about the company and the role.”

While stereotypes persist, there have been some changes in favour of older candidates.

“Remote or hybrid working is less about office vibes, cultural fit and Friday night drinks,” says Edelstein. “It’s more about will this person make my life easier as a manager? Can I trust them to get the job done with minimal hassle? This is good news for older candidates because it plays to their strengths.”

Effective strategies for reducing ageism in the workplace

Rickwood recommends several steps organisations can take to reduce age-related bias and create more inclusive workplaces, including:

• Reviewing HR policies and practices, and briefing recruiters to ensure there are no age restrictions within the hiring process
• Offering progressive employment opportunities that include intergenerational job sharing where, for example, someone returning from parental leave shares a role with an older person, both now preferring to work part-time
• Introducing management training to support younger and older people to work together in non-traditional hierarchies – for example, a younger person managing older team members.

Ng recommends:

• Ensuring each appointment is objective and based on merit, by providing a clear position description of the skills and competencies required for the role
• Providing education about the meaning of ageism, and what to do if you see or experience age-based discrimination
• Establishing intergenerational mentoring to broaden the perspectives of both parties as they share knowledge and experience.

In addition, McKewen recommends using inclusive language and shares an example of how well this can work.

“A few years ago, our managing director, Christine McNamara, decided everyone should have the title of business adviser,” she says. “As well as removing the traditional hierarchy in accounting, this helped to reduce ageism. Our graduates are out meeting clients from day one, which builds their confidence exponentially.”

Apart from being unfair, ageism is bad for business. In a competitive job market, companies simply can’t afford to miss out on great talent.

“My advice to employers is to judge people on coachability and skills, not on the number on their birth certificate,” Edelstein says. “Someone tech-savvy, adaptable and experienced will outperform, regardless of how old they are.”

“Firms that keep filtering for age will miss out on candidates most likely to solve their actual problems.”

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Take away

The Harvard Business Review has compiled an audiobook resource, Overcoming Ageism. Run time: 4 hrs 40 mins.