While most people believe that age is just a number and that ageing does NOT harm productivity levels, many companies don’t think so. Usually, if an employer faces two job applicants of different ages for the same job, they are likelier to choose the younger one. However, legislation forbids age discrimination in the workplace. At the same time, society encourages protecting employees of older age. In this article, we will look at what ageism in the workplace is, what triggers it, what the consequences are and how the problem can be addressed.
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Ageism is age-based discrimination. Different age groups of employees are affected by this phenomenon: young and older people, but most employees are over 45 years of age. Age discrimination in the workplace takes many forms: older workers get the national minimum wage, job applicants are rejected because they are close to retirement, and younger workers get the responsibilities. The negative age-based stereotype provokes ageism that older employees have poorer cardiovascular stress responses, are slow, stubborn and have a poor grasp of modern technology.
Age discrimination is unfair. It also harms the work environment. Suppose an employer turns down an applicant because he is unhappy with the person’s age. In that case, he is only reinforcing known negative age-related stereotypes and potentially losing an excellent employee who could contribute to the success of his business. Ageism is not a myth but a reality of the modern working world. Younger employers value younger employees more highly, while potential employees over 45 are unjustifiably sidelined.
The equality act needs to be taken into account by everyone. Many hiring managers claim no direct age discrimination when it is not so simple. Ageism can go unnoticed. It can also seem like ageism at work for older workers. There may be direct or indirect discrimination at work. Several signs point to the presence of ageism:
Direct or indirect age discrimination harms people and companies. If organizations prefer a particular age group of workers under 40-45, they miss out on an excellent talent pool with many years of experience and high qualifications. Older workers may also have unique skills.
In many companies, default retirement age is the cut-off point until employees can perform their professional duties. At the same time, however, the equality act and case studies also suggest that older workers can be pretty competitive with younger staff. Older job applicants have much experience and a vast range of professional skills. Ageism is rarely justified. Below we will look at the main reasons for age discrimination in the workplace.
Many employers prefer to justify discrimination by using negative stereotypes which discredit older workers. The following age-related stereotypes can make it difficult to recruit staff:
Such age-related stereotypes are not always justified. In most cases, they remain far-fetched, and older workers are dispelling them. Many more senior employees face negative stereotypes, and not all manage to dispel them by refusing to hire them.
The actual workplace’s age-related practices indicate that there are economic incentives to encourage hiring younger employees in today’s work environment. The most common form of economic incentive is reimbursing labour costs for hiring an employee under 30. Employers may receive a financial incentive for 12 months or any specified period.
In this situation, it is worth noting that there are also positive actions employers are encouraged statutory for older workers – if a company hires a person over 54 years of age who has not worked in the last six months, the organization may receive a 24-month compensation for the labour costs already incurred. It is twice as much as in the case of hiring a young employee.
Many job seekers may see the phrase “young and friendly team” in an advert for an employee. Quite a few employers are looking for staff aged between 20 and 45. They may sort potential candidates by a particular age when sorting job applications, although this is unfair. It can be seen particularly in modern employment sectors such as IT, the beauty industry, services and many others. Older workers may be more practical and form a healthier work environment.
Age limits in recruitment can have repercussions. Direct or indirect discrimination has some effect. If a company prefers to hire younger workers exclusively, this could significantly impact the work environment in the future. The more companies ignore the equality act. The greater will be the impact of ageism.
Experts predict that almost every second worker in the UK will be 50 years old or older by 2030 (47% in the labour market). As employees reach their 60s, their participation in the workforce decreases significantly. This biased employment age model means that veteran professionals can no longer stay in the workforce. At the same time, not all employees have enough savings to retire with peace of mind.
Performance management can weed out employees of a certain age. It harms productivity levels. Many people know that with age comes experience for the employee. Younger staff need to gain certain knowledge that can be gained first-hand from more experienced workers. If employers feel that someone’s age is no longer suitable for continued employment, they lose valuable experience and productivity.
Of course, some older employees may work more slowly, but they will still do much better than inexperienced younger employees. More senior employees are often more self-confident and mature than their younger counterparts. This thinking style goes a long way towards ensuring that job duties are carried out competently and efficiently. It also helps the business maintain a reputation for industry expertise and integral working lives.
Suppose companies have age-related criteria or implicit discrimination against employees who have reached a certain age. In that case, older employees may only want to continue working once they reach a certain age. An unwillingness of older staff to remain in the workforce means that permanent employees with more experience may leave – leading to a drain on valuable personnel, which could have greatly benefited the company.
Staff want to work in a welcoming atmosphere. Age discrimination creates a hostile work environment. While certain employees are subject to direct discrimination, ageism purely as a phenomenon within the company walls could provoke mistrust on the part of all employees. Younger workers will begin to wonder if they are the next target. Ageism leads to lower productivity and higher turnover. Low morale and lack of support for a steady workforce significantly reduce the chances of success.
Change is just around the corner. The equality act dictates that the recruitment process should not depend on the age of the candidates. Many companies are actively seeking effective ways to prevent age discrimination. We have therefore compiled a list of solutions to fight ageism.
Suppose a company does not want to get into an employment tribunal because its affected workers have filed discrimination claims. In that case, it is worthwhile for the manager and the staff to receive proper training. Education about age diversity through specialized training will make it possible to understand the positive action and consequences of age discrimination. Additionally, education should certainly address unconscious biases and stereotypes. Education must necessarily be much more than a simple lecture.
Moreover, today’s workforce comprises three generations: the baby boomers, Generation X and the millennials – staff must know how to work together. Education must also necessarily address the topics of respect, team building and implicit bias.
It is best to expose positive action employees to age-diverse recruitment practices. For example, the current best method for dealing with age discrimination is to use age diversity – up to four generations of a workforce can be hired. It would demonstrate that all employees, regardless of age, can contribute to the company’s success. In addition, it will show the creation of a culture that welcomes employees and recognizes their unique strengths, including age.
Refrain from assuming that employees immediately recognize that age discrimination is wrong. In this case, there should be a clear policy. In addition, there should be an awareness of the policy relating to new hires. It should be made clear that your company does not tolerate age discrimination and will not be tolerated.
Simply creating a policy is not enough. Also, managers, senior managers, and human resource departments must be vigilant about whether the policy is enforced – whether it is a formal discipline or something more rigorous. If the policy is not adhered to, appropriate action must be taken.
Age-related audit findings have shown that ageism is indeed present in many companies. It is not a myth but a damaging practice that harms the organization’s success. It cannot be said that age discrimination is objectively justified; in reality, it leads to the drain of valuable staff and reduced productivity. Businesses miss out on the experience and must seek legal advice to avoid legal liability. Today’s growth-oriented and forward-looking companies realize that ageism needs to be eradicated and introduce appropriate policies.
