Young workers are being warned they could be affected by ageism in the workplace just as much as their older counterparts.

A snapshot survey has been conducted by office support recruiter la crème, of office workers in their 20s, about whether they faced any kind of age discrimination in the workplace. The results showed that 60 per cent said they had experienced unfair treatment due to their young age.

Jo Stuteley, UK director of la crème, said that many people don’t realise that age discrimination affects younger staff as well as the older ones.

“The young seem to be especially affected within the organisation, rather than at the application stage, whereas for older employees it seems to be the other way around. We in the recruitment industry are working towards dismissing the negative assumptions connected with age and highlighting the advantages that each individual can bring to a business.”

Tony Bourne, partner and head of the employment unit at Glovers Solicitors, said: “This has been the biggest change in employment law since the Sex Discrimination Act in so much as it affects every single employee and potential employee. Much of the media coverage so far has centred on discrimination against ‘older’ employees, but as this recent case shows, discrimination on the basis of age – whether that’s 16 or 60 – is illegal.”

ClickAJob chief executive Yngve Traberg regards ageism as totally counter-productive if a business wants to maximise its opportunities. “People are assets, whatever age they are. Young people have drive and ambition that is unstoppable once they’re inspired and managed properly.”

In a recent story on HR Zone it was reported that a 20-year-old woman had won a discrimination case for being too young.