Monster.ca poll finds most Canadians feel some workplace bias

Canadians Feel Pressure to Stay Young on the Job

TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The vast majority of Canadians say they believe that a bias related to age exists in their workplace, according to a new poll. And nearly half also believe that plastic surgery or cosmetic dental work would definitely help them advance their careers.

Nearly 80 per cent of Canadians who participated in a recent online poll at Monster.ca said ageism – a bias based on age – exists in their workplace to some degree.

The poll asked respondents whether they feel ageism exists in their workplace. Sixty-three per cent agreed that “age was obviously a factor” when candidates are considered for job openings. Another 17% said they believe that their employer prefers workers “in a certain age bracket.”

Only 19 per cent of the 2,133 Canadians polled – or just one in five – said they believe that “people of all ages” are considered for job openings in their workplace.

Meanwhile, in a separate Monster.ca poll of 4,397 Canadians on the topic of improving their appearance to get ahead, 47% said that they definitely believe plastic surgery or cosmetic dental work would help advance their career. About 38% disagreed, while 14% said they were unsure.

“Today many Canadian employers are looking to help ease the labour shortage,” said Gabriel Bouchard, vice president and general manager, Monster Canada. “And while employers are looking for new ways to keep baby boomers in the workplace, it is interesting to note that many Canadians feel some kind of age bias at work, with a person’s age being viewed as a factor in their employability.”

“As our workforce continues to age, it will be interesting to see how attitudes change to perhaps favor older workers for their skills and experience,” Bouchard added.

To view results of the latest Monster polls, and to read the current feature story titled Going Under the Knife for Your Career, visit www.Monster.ca.

About Monster Canada

Monster Canada (www.Monster.ca) is Canada’s richest online career resources portal – a bilingual, user-friendly online resource that is revolutionizing job seeking and recruitment. Headquartered in Montreal, Monster Canada is part of Monster, the leading global online careers and recruitment resource. Monster was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Maynard, Massachusetts. Monster has 34 local language and content sites in 32 countries worldwide. Monster is known for connecting quality job seekers at all levels with leading employers across all industries and offers employers innovative technology and superior services that give them more control over the recruiting process. To learn more about Monster’s industry-leading employer products and services, please visit http://recruiter.monster.ca.

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Contacts

Porter Novelli Canada (for Monster Canada)
Jennifer Wasley, 416-422-7189
Jennifer.wasley {at} porternovelli(.)com