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Age discrimination in the workplace is also often referred to as ageism. It is a discriminatory practice based on a person’s age. It might be based on negative stereotypes about a particular age or personal prejudice. A lot of people have experienced age discrimination both for being young and being old. However, the studies show that 50+ employees are at higher risk of age bias.
According to an AARP survey, 64% of workers have experienced age discrimination in the workplace. The same survey shows that 58% of respondents believe that ageism in the workplace starts at 50.
Workplace age discrimination is a negative practice that affects individuals and companies. For workers, it means fewer job opportunities, promotions, or educational options. All of those go to younger workers that are given preference. An older employee might be laid off based on one’s age. Many older workers also experienced difficulties with the hiring process and finding a new job.
The negative impacts on an individual are more obvious. A person gets unfair treatment and faces discrimination, which is always terrible. But there are also negative effects on companies that do not combat such practices. A lack of diversity is always bad news for a team. Proper diversity deals not only with gender, nationality, or ethnicity but also with age diversity.
The lack of diversity in a workplace has several negative effects, namely:
On the other hand, diversity promotes employee engagement, creativity, better corporate culture, and a reduction in employee turnover. Diverse companies have a more comprehensive skill set in their hands. And, the recent study found that diverse companies experience 19% higher revenue.
When it comes to ageism in workplace, it might be difficult to spot it right away. Like with any human interaction, there is always bias and different opinions. There are no two employees that perform exactly the same. So if younger counterparts get a raise and older workers do not, it doesn’t always mean that there is a case for age discrimination.
Yet, there are specific factors to look for when identifying ageism in the workplace.
One of the first signs of age-based discrimination is the lack of promotions for older employees. For example, if you are turned down for a promotion without clear reasoning and the role goes to younger employees that are less qualified. This could be evidence of age discrimination.
If there is a pattern there of promoting younger colleagues instead of older workers without any merit, it is a strong case for ageism.
Another example of ageism is when a company gives all the exciting and challenging assignments to younger professionals. Removal of desirable tasks from one’s workload might be a sign that employers want this person to retire or leave. Also, managers might act on age bias when giving repetitive and dull tasks to a specific group of workers.
You can also recognize discrimination in a company if there are regular remarks on your age or retirement plans. They can be in a form of a joke or aggressive comments. For example, if managers often ask you about retirement plans, make jokes about slow work because of age, or make comments about “good old days” on your behalf.
If managers ask jokingly or seriously about your retirement, take note of that and establish that you are planning on working longer. It might be reasonable to conclude such a conversation in an email or find witnesses to such a discussion. In such a case, a person can use it as evidence of employment act violation.
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) was passed in 1967. It protects workers from 40 years old that are employed in:
However, military and independent contractors are not regulated by the ADEA, along with companies with less than 20 workers.
It might be a sign of age discrimination if all the training and educational opportunities go to younger employees. Of course, someone who has recently started working might need additional on-the-job training. And recent college graduates also lack experience so a company might provide them with it.
But if all the professional growth opportunities go over the oldest workers, it means that decision-making is based on age stereotypes. Employers need to recognize that any employee, young or old, needs adequate treatment and equal growth opportunities. A company should not assume that older people are not interested in developing new skills or exploring new technologies.
The next harmful stereotype comes from the idea that older workers are somehow worse than young professionals. Thinking that someone is slower or less capable based on age is clear ageism. There is no evidence that would prove such a stereotype to be true. Historically, the retirement age has shifted and people tend to work for longer. Nearly half of the workers that are in the workforce now will retire later than the previous generation.
And specific capabilities might depend on individual mental and physical state but not on age groups. So an organization as a whole needs to address such instances to make sure no worker faces ageism.
This is another ageism practice older employees often face. It is worth noting, that such a case is hard to prove. But it does happen during the hiring or while giving new benefits to different groups of professionals. It is important to know that the AEDA covers job descriptions, hiring managers, and other processes within an organization. So if there is a discriminatory statement in the job description or an offer, it is also subject to investigation according to federal and state laws.
It is essential to combat ageism in the workforce on governmental and organizational levels. Harvard Business Review has published a study on the assumptions of different age groups and their validity.
This publication can provide insight into what actually is defined by age group and what is a mere stereotype. According to this source, older workers invest in acquiring new skills and competencies as well. There is no difference when it comes to the age group and desires to grow professionally. In reality, over 60% of older workers (45+) claimed that they are actively investing their time into professional development and new skills.
Also, older workers are as positive and excited about their jobs. And older people work harder to keep up with colleagues on the playing field. They are not exhausted and do not want to slow down, contrary to the ageism stereotypes.
Older people are as engaged in technology and growth as their younger colleagues. They contribute to the workforce and offer benefits to employers in terms of experience, proficiency, and resilience.
According to the World Health Organization, ageism refers to stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. There is a need to establish institutional knowledge about ages and specific negative practices that affect society as a whole.
Workplace age discrimination is just one of the forms that ageism takes. But it can be also found in all other aspects of life. It is extremely harmful as it contributes to unhealthy self-perception, unequal opportunities, and long-term economic consequences. There needs to be solidarity and collaboration between generations and professionals of different ages. Here are several actions to take to address this problem.
Whether you witness an employee experiencing age-related remarks or notice a hiring pattern where only applicants of specific ages are considered, it is important to act on it. For instance, tech companies are notorious for hiring among specific age groups. Many of them lack age diversity, which is an unhealthy practice. There should be adequate education about ageism and its negative effects.
A company might include it as a corporate event or seminar to promote a healthier culture and environment.
Another good option is to offer more flexibility in terms of employment. With modern technology, it is not an issue to offer remote or part-time opportunities to professionals. This could be more beneficial to attract experienced talent. Not only the younger generation needs family-leave options or days off. Even if a professional does not have young children at home, they still need equal benefits.
Collaboration between workers of different ages can be incredibly powerful. People that have worked for 20-30 years in the industry have immense knowledge of various intricacies and practices. So it only makes sense for an organization to encourage them to share their knowledge.
This will create healthy communication between employees of different groups. And it also will bring numerous advantages to a business. Many older workers are happy to share what they’ve learned and also learn from others. This can boost engagement, advance corporate culture, and make the company’s life easier.
If you are creating educational opportunities, make sure they are equally accessible to older employees. As the HBR survey showed, recent college graduates and older workers have the same interest in professional development and the acquisition of new skills.
And with the same benefits given to all workers, an organization can count on better job performance as everyone is on the same page. It is harmful to assume that someone is not willing to partake in educational options based solely on age.
Ageism in the workplace might often go unnoticed. Yet, it is very harmful to individuals, companies, and society as a whole. It is vital to eliminate age stereotypes and provide equal opportunities to all workers.
