Retiring Ageism
Some 10 years ago, I realized that we had four generations of employees in the company where I worked — each group taking a slightly different approach to their work, to career growth, even to colleague communication. Each holding misconceptions and stereotypes about the others. Hoping to discover some ways to smooth some of the friction that was resulting from their contrasting styles, I started my formal education at Cornell in implicit bias and diversity, equity and inclusion.
A decade later, that generational friction has not disappeared. Full-blown ageism remains a feature in hiring and in many workplaces. AARP reports that two in three adults ages 50-plus in the labor force (64%) think older workers face age discrimination in the workplace today. And among those workers, 90% believe that age discrimination against older workers is common. According to consulting firm Korn Ferry, some point between the ages of 50 and 59, half of workers will lose their jobs. Some are voluntarily stepping away, but the vast majority are being laid off or pushed out—even in countries where ageism is illegal. The tension is growing more acute as younger workers see their opportunities for advancement stalled by workers not yet interested in stepping back.
The impacts are bad for productivity day to day and in the longer term. The loss of the experience and institutional knowledge of older workers creates a deficit for a business. The workplace is made less inclusive, diverse, and productive by eliminating older workers and their varied life experiences. A business is less able to meet the needs of older consumers if they play no role in developing products or services from that market segment.
It's time to face ageism head on—here are some strategies for ending age discrimination:
Recruit Across Generations
Promote multiple generations in your recruiting outreach. Images of just 20-year-olds at work in your office in ads or online send a message that will conflict with any statements you make about considering people of all ages, genders, races, etc. Make certain your ads don’t include code words for age like “energetic,” "digital native,” "fresh,” “cultural fit,” “flexible,” and “recent graduate.” Your online application process should be age friendly, too. It wasn’t so long ago that the State of Illinois went after job sites that had drop down menus for Year of Birth that ended at 1980. Consider whether asking for years of graduation are necessary. Offer flexible work options — hybrid, remote, shorter workweeks — that will appeal to employees of different age groups, those with young children and those with caregiving responsibilities for older adults. Add, “We welcome applications from everyone, including people of all ages” to your recruitment materials.
Make Yours an Age-Friendly Workplace
Be an “age-friendly employer.” A good place to start is the AARP, which has since 2012 asked companies to sign a pledge agreeing to make the hiring process a level playing field for people over 50. Today more than 1,000 businesses have joined the program, including CVS and Bank of America. Signers get, among other things, an action plan for creating an age-inclusive workforce. Offer pre-retirement step-down plans that help workers scale back when the time comes. Encourage two-way mentoring, so older workers can share their experience and learn, in turn, from younger colleagues. Ensure that training and development opportunities are offered to everyone — not just younger workers. Studies show that career conversations stop happening for workers at 49 — even though retirement informally remains age 65 and life expectancy nearly 20 years later at 83. Make certain that intergenerational issues are part of your DEI efforts.
Offer Tools for Successful Multigenerational Management
Awareness is the first step toward change. Offer bias training to dispel stereotypes about older workers. Myths that many may think are legitimate business concerns, such as doubts about productivity or the ability to learn new skills for older workers have been debunked by research. The older workers that were studied were more productive, and performed more consistently, than their younger counterparts in a multigenerational workplace. Start your transformation efforts in HR. Studies show that when polled, HR staff agree, “older people make great workers” but then admit "I still don’t want to hire them.” Research suggests that workshops that focus on awareness can reduce age bias, while workshops based on collaboration between inter-generational groups can be more effective over time. The Age-Friendly Institute offers a course entitled, "Age-Friendly Principles & Practices.” The Challenge Factory in Canada offers “Flippin’ Ageism” — 20 minutes of insights and information. More tools are found at the Old School: Anti-Ageism Clearinghouse. Check back in six months — is HR bringing in older candidates? Are they being selected? Maybe it’s time for a refresher course.
Conclusion
Age diversity brings a wealth of experience, perspectives, and skills that can drive innovation and success. As the Challenge Factory points out — ageism is just discrimination against our future selves. Let’s work together to appreciate workers of all ages and build an inclusive workforce.