People wrongly think older workers lazy

One in three workers believe older staff are lazy and take more sick leave - an unhelpful perception as Treasurer Joe Hockey tries to persuade businesses to hire more people aged over 50.

But Randstad employment market analyst Steve Shepherd says Australians need to stop being ageist and instead take advantage of the knowledge and expertise older generations bring to the workforce.

"In reality, productivity levels are comparable throughout the generations, and absenteeism is actually often lower in the 55-plus age group than among younger employees," he says in a survey released on Wednesday.

It comes as Mr Hockey appointed a former Labor minister as an inaugural ambassador for mature age employment.

Age and Disability commissioner Susan Ryan will help drive greater awareness amongst employers of the business benefits of hiring older workers.

"I can think of no one more fitting, no one more articulate, nor well informed who could fill the role than Susan Ryan," Mr Hockey said at a presentation in Canberra.