Harnessing the Power of Older Workers

Australians today are living longer and healthier lives. We are also working longer and it is now commonplace to see four or five generations working side by side. However, long term unemployment for older workers is on the rise and new data shows that almost half Australian businesses are reluctant to recruit older workers. 
 
Join the Australian Human Rights Commission and Age Discrimination Commissioner Dr Kay Patterson to learn how organisations and businesses can harness the power of older workers and multigenerational teams.  

The webinar will be hosted and moderated by Kathryn Greiner, Chair of the NSW Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing.  

Our expert panel will discuss practical strategies that their own, and other organisations, have implemented to help them to tap into the full potential of a multigenerational workforce. They will also talk about how organisations and businesses can foster age friendly work environments in which older workers are valued for their skills and experience.

Expert Panel: 

• Belinda Koch, Co-Chair of the Amplify Employee Action Group, Westpac  
• Jane Baker, Chair of the Generations Employee Resource Group, NSW Department of Customer Service  
• Toby Dawson, Head of Strategic Partnerships, IRT Group/Age Matters  

Webinar details: 

Friday 11 June, 12:00pm to 1:00pm 
Live Online Event via Zoom
Connection details will be emailed prior to the event

This webinar is proudly supported by the NSW Department of Communities and Justice. 

Special Guest Speakers:

Dr Kay Patterson
Age Discrimination Commissioner

Dr Patterson began her role as Age Discrimination Commissioner in 2016. After gaining a BA (Hons) at the University of Sydney and a PhD in Psychology and Dip Ed at Monash University, Dr Patterson taught allied health science for 11 years. She went on to study gerontology at two universities in the USA, and following that co-developed the first Victorian post-graduate diploma in gerontology and to introduced gerontology into the undergraduate behavioural science courses. 

Following her election to the Senate in 1987, she was appointed a Parliamentary Secretary in 1988. In 2001 was appointed to Cabinet and served in the Health and Social Security portfolios. During her time in the Senate she pursued issues affecting older Australians and fought for the removal of the compulsory retirement age of 65 from the Australian Public Service and statutory authorities.

Host and Moderator: 

Kathryn Greiner AO
Chair, NSW Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing

Kathryn Greiner has contributed to a wide range of leadership positions in public and private companies, government bodies and non-profit organizations. Her professional career has focused on Health, Education and Community Development. Kathryn chairs the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Ageing for the NSW Government, is Chairman of Lifestart Co-operative Ltd, and is a director of Paul Ramsay Foundation, Loreto College Coorparoo, the Sydney Opera House Trust, and Relationships Australia (NSW) amongst others.

Expert Panel:

Toby Dawson
Head of Strategic Partnerships, IRT Group/Age Matters

Toby is a passionate social impact professional, who provides a different perspective to traditional challenges. A former Young Business Executive of the Year finalist with NSW Business Chamber, Toby has held a range of roles that straddle the not-for-profit and corporate community. Toby’s career start with IRT Group coincided with the AHRC’s 2015 National Prevalence Survey into Age Discrimination in the Workplace. Over the past six years he has been involved in delivering a range of practical initiatives to help shift the national conversation from focusing on issues to delivering solutions. Toby and the team at IRT Group have delivered four Career Check Up Expos for Mature Workers, a Reverse Internship, Intergenerational Jobshare, Mature Workforce Roundtable for Business Leaders, Mature Workforce Participation Innovation Sandpit. 

Jane Baker
Chair of Generations ERG, NSW Department of Customer Service

Jane Baker Chairs the Department of Customer Service’s Generations Employee Resource Group (ERG). Leading Generations for the past 2 years, Jane’s work with the ERG ensures the voice of nearly 4,000 employees over the age of 45 have a seat at the table and their voice is heard. Jane leads work that contributes everything from challenging the myths around the connection between age and capability and ensuring that the policies and culture of the organisation will enable all employees to live, learn and earn longer. 

Belinda Koch
Co-Chair of the Amplify Employee Action Group, Westpac

Ms Koch is Head of Finance Transformation at Westpac. During her career at Westpac, Ms Koch has led teams to deliver significant process and cultural change transformations. Her experience spans providing commercial banking solutions to clients, to solving and delivering complex internal transformation initiatives. Ms Koch is a passionate supporter of philanthropic, sustainability, inclusion and diversity portfolios. She is currently Co-Chair of the Westpac Amplify Employee Action Group which focuses on helping our employees over 50 to say, stay and thrive.