Age biases in employment: Impact of talent shortages and age on hiring

Abstract

The steady rise in the number of older workers in the labour force has been accompanied by increased evidence of discrimination against them, both in New Zealand and internationally. A field experiment, simulation and interviews were used to assess the selection process from multiple perspectives and enable a thorough consideration of both the process and outcome of recruitment and selection decisions. The research also attempted to assess the impact of industry talent shortages, using current immigration service listings of skills shortages in New Zealand to target jobs with high, medium and low skill shortages. The study assessed employer preferences (were the applicants seen as suitable), employment outcomes (were applicants short-listed) and employer rationales (why were some candidates preferred over others). Our findings indicate that younger workers were seen as more suitable and were significantly more likely to be shortlisted, although this effect was moderated by talent shortages.