4. Silenced Inequalities: Too Young or Too Old?

Age discrimination is multifaceted and complex, and policy interventions have only partial effects (Urwin, Age Matters: A Review of Existing Survey Evidence. Employment Relations. Research Series 24. London: Department of Trade and Industry, 2004). Given the deeply rooted nature of age discrimination in society, coupled with the fact that perceived discriminatory treatment may lead to negative affective and calculative responses (Gutek et al., Human Relations 49:791–813, 1996), it is important to understand how age discrimination is at play and unfair treatment results. In contrast to an accelerating rise in studies into unfavourable treatment experienced by older employees in a wake of tackling an ageing society in particular among the developed world (OECD, Live Longer, Work Longer—Ageing and Employment Policies. Paris: OECD Publishing, 2006), there are a limited number of studies investigating younger workers. Since age discrimination can happen to any age group, this chapter sets out to review the literature of ageism, particularly engaging with young and old workers, and to discuss the hidden inequalities associated with age at work. Findings from the literature review of age discrimination will inform management practice and feed into policy development in relation to both developing new talent pool and retaining valued and experienced workers of various ages.