Age still an issue says women’s poll

Midlife women are still being treated differently to their younger counterparts at work, but this doesn’t stop them believing they will still gain the upper hand, claims a new survey by Age with Attitude and Durham Business School.

Out of over 130 women who participated in the anonymous online survey, which explored the attitudes of 40+ women across the UK, 68 percent believe they can still improve their status in the work
place. With businesses regularly overlooking midlife women in favour of younger employees, many believe it’s not time to hang up their coat and admit defeat just yet.

The key advantage 74 percent felt that had over their younger counterparts was experience. Lindsey Agness, founder of the Age with Attitude programme, who jointly conducted the research with Dr Julie Hodges of Durham Business School, says “there is a lot of valuable knowledge and experience being offered by older work forces but many companies are ignoring this vital attribute in favour of youth.”

“Mid-life women are determined to be recognized for their hard work and with the current economical climate still slow, many are finding they are having to fight hard in order to be noticed. Many are even  thinking seriously about leaving the corporate world and start up their own businesses. The loss of talent resulting from that would have huge repercussions for the business world,” says Lindsey.

Lindsey herself changed her career completely in her forties after she went from being a successful change management consultant to a published author. She is now busy planning her fourth book and running her Age with Attitude course designed to empower 40+ women to take control of their lives and careers and strive for new achievements during their midlife years.

But for many who haven’t taken the leap like Lindsey, the challenges still remains to come out on top, but could organisations be pushing these talented employees a step too far? Dr Julie Hodges says, “This research shows that there are still key issues which midlife women are facing in the world of work and which need to be addressed by employers. The research has an impact for organizations particularly in the current economic climate where organizations may be cutting themselves short by not using the experience and knowledge of midlife women. This is true in the public as well as the private sector and is certainly evident in the new coalition cabinet where there are very few women”.

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