Firms, such as those using serviced offices in Northampton, may not be offering work to people in their 50s because of concerns about their age.
That is according to Rachel Krys, campaign director for the Employers Forum on Age, who argued a company taking on older members of staff would benefit, as such individuals offer better value for money.
She said a business hiring staff in their 20s may only retain them for a few years, whereas someone in later life would be more likely to remain for a longer period as they cannot afford to retire.
However, Ms Krys noted this message has not yet reached employers, stating: "They want to bring in fresh thinking and they see that as young blood, as if young people think differently."
An alternative perspective is sometimes needed within a company and this can be achieved by having a range of age groups in its workforce, she claimed.
Earlier this month, research by The Age and Employment Network found the unemployment and economic inactivity rate amongst the over-50s was unacceptably high for the last quarter, with 165,000 people in this age group recorded as having been out of work for 12-months or more.
