Is Agism Infecting Your Workplace Culture?

It just might be.

I learned that hard lesson when a colleague said that “I was too old to be working at a tech company.” Hmmm. Insult aside, I was surprised that this kind of attitude still reigns. Especially with the heightened awareness of protected classes and broadening definition of discrimination. But my curiosity got the best of me and sure enough, when you clicked on the company’s website, all the pictures from the recruiting page to the organizational chart and candid company pictures reflected only team members and leaders seemingly under the age of 35. It was clear that I was opening a door where I didn’t belong.

While age is typically not the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “discrimination,” it’s still a valid part of the collective.

Though perhaps an issue less discussed in the workplace, it deserves discussion. And when you think of agism, you may only think that it applies to hiring practices. But it extends to all areas of the workplace and beyond. The World Health Organization has declared agism to be a global challenge, heightened by how many older individuals have been adversely affected by the pandemic, struggling with loneliness, isolation, and other related social adversities.

Agism applied in the workplace infects hiring to termination and everything in between. Thinking and/or acting on negative attitudes and stereotypes about aging and if older employees have the same needs and concerns as their younger colleagues is a high-level view of this concern. In some cases, there are dual practices at play. A recent Forbes article cited a National Bureau of Economic Research study about age discrimination in hiring that confirms the prevalence of gendered agism.

“Based on evidence from over 40,000 job applications, we find robust evidence of age discrimination in hiring against older women, especially those near retirement age.”

And when companies’ employment and hiring practices allow agism to seep in, it’s not only painful to the parties involved, but costly to the organization. Have 90% of your recent hires been under the age of 35? That could be an issue. According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) agism costs the nation over $850 billion dollars. That’s an incredible, and unnecessary cost that could be better diverted to building a cohesive and respectful team, which drives engagement and ultimately profits.

It’s not old school to promote respect in the workplace. Successful companies thrive because they’ve built a culture that prioritizes mutual respect and models it from the top down. And if your company isn’t thinking broadly about this topic, it’s time to change. Respecting the collective wisdom, experience and maturity that older employees bring to the table is not only the right thing to do, but also smart for business.

To avoid letting agism infect your workplace culture, consider these practices.

Educate Your Team. One reason people fail to consider that agism is happening around them is that they are unaware of what it is or how it can negatively impact others. There’s often a “blind bias,” failing to see the existence or impact of the derogatory commentary sometimes due to comfort level with the victim, familiarity with deprecating expressions or subtlety of the barbs involved. People joke about “getting old” all the time so it seems like a “safe subject,” but it’s not. Mary, a director in a higher education institution, was dumbstruck at a colleague’s passing remark, “You’re about ready for retirement, right?” Not only was this an inappropriate insult, but it was made by someone who works in her University’s Inclusion and Equity department. Need I remind that it’s the responsibility of this department, along with human resources and executive leadership, to ensure all employees are educated on what “agism” means.

Review Your Policy. Along with education, there should be a formal policy addressing correctional procedures around all forms of discrimination. From what’s actionable to reporting and investigating procedures and on through discipline measures, ensure the language is specific and understandable and is aligned with corporate values. The policy should be shared with all employees during onboarding and in annual continual compliance training and updated regularly.

Watch Behaviors. You don’t need to assign “agism police” to anyone’s job description but keep an eye out for inappropriate behaviors. Anything from posting seemingly ‘harmless’ comic strips on the break room wall or forgetting to include an older employee in an after work get together, can be seen as agism. While these behaviors are subtle, they are insensitive. So be careful to be inclusive and to think twice before making “age” the focus of office humor.

Walk the Walk. Having an anti-discrimination policy in place is one thing but enforcing it from the top down is entirely another. It’s important to first have a workforce that’s diverse and it’s wise to have the same diversity reflective in the executive suite. This doesn’t mean plugging people in just to meet a quota. That approach is insulting and costly. Instead, take a deep look at your workforce and give everyone equal opportunity to be integral contributors, be considered for promotions fairly and to have a voice that’s truly heard. Consider how you are building a psychologically safe environment that builds on a variety of strengths and personal and professional experiences.

Own Your Mistakes. We all say and do things we wish we could take back. It’s part of our DNA as humans. We make mistakes and learn from them. But not owning up to mistakes is a sign of weakness. Whether it’s you, your team or someone within your organization who’s made disparaging remarks or has failed to ensure fair practices from hiring to promoting, acknowledge the shortcoming, apologize, and strive to do better.

It's important to keep in mind that agism practices are not to be taken lightly. No one should feel that their age is a deterrent to their success or well-being in an organization. And the only way to make measurable change is to change mindsets. What you may think is a challenge could be the greatest opportunity lying dormant within your team. So, take a moment to celebrate the incredible contributions made by people who don’t look, or think, like you. Then ask yourself how you can do better to be inclusive and honor your colleagues no matter their age.

Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization.

~ Mahatma Gandhi