Ageism In The Workplace
Ageism in the Workplace: A Cause for Concern Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the problems faced by older employees in the workplace. The problems researched include age discrimination affecting promotions, forced retirement and problems employers face when dealing with older employees. Older employees are facing the same economic issues faced by all employees. Those older employees who do not have, or are unable to survive on savings or investments still need to work. Employers are faced with the problem that as an employee gets older they may be unable to continue working in the same position, or maintain the same schedule and hours worked. It is apparent that this is an issue that will never go away, and employers …show more content…
will need to manage their older employees effectively. Employers must work to develop strategies in the workplace to allow for changes faced by older employees.
Strategies may include transitioning employees to less stressful and time consuming positions, placing older employees in work groups, and adjusting work schedules to enable employees to take care of personal necessities while still completing their work. Proper management of older employees within the workplace will maintain a professional work environment, while showing all employees that they have a future with the company. Workplace Tensions and Ageism Our older employees are the backbone of our workplaces and should be respected as such. Baby Boomers, who make up the greatest number of long-term, older employees, are facing an organizational culture that is lacking in support. Discrimination of employees because they have reached a certain age is unacceptable in the workplace. This discrimination, known as ageism, is the change in perception by younger employees and management when an employee transitions from a middle-aged to an …show more content…
older worker (Carr-Ruffino, 2009, p. 522). Ageism was defined by Robert Butler in 1968 to be a “systematic stereotyping of and discrimination against older people because they are old, just as racism and sexism accomplished this with skin color and gender” (Dennis and Thomas). The perception of ageism has a negative effect for many older employees in the workplace. Although their experience, skills and work production levels have not changed; older workers face being put into a category that makes them feel unwanted, insignificant and as if they have lost the respect of fellow employees. Ageism in the workplace is an ongoing problem for those older employees who still need to work to maintain their standard of living. Many families depend on the income generated by the older workforce to survive. Their treatment in the workplace needs to be one of respect for what they have achieved and not seen as an opening for another’s promotion. Our nation’s older workers are part of our history and have been part of our country’s development. Their experience, connections and confidence should be an asset to any company in the recruitment and training of their future workforce. Many younger workers will eventually arrive at this time in their careers and must realize that a precedent needs to be set now to ensure that older employees are treated fairly now and in our future. Older Workers vs. Younger Workers in the Workplace Older workers have several advantages over their younger co-workers. The majority have developed more responsibility and trustworthiness because of their years with the company. This is in contrast to younger workers who may have the will but don’t have the experience. Many older workers have grown with the company and have had to learn with the company as they became more technologically advanced. Although their education did not include current training; their experience with the company has allowed them to adapt what they learn more readily than younger employees. Many believe older workers should be forced to retire to make room for young people starting their careers. The result would be another retiree on Social Security and Medicare raising medical costs, and a loss of experience for the company.
Management Challenges with Older Workers Managing older employees has several challenges, with many of these challenges faced by managers who are recent college graduates. These challenges include limitations that develop as older employees increase in age which affects their work performance; health issues which raise medical costs and may interfere with performance; less energy than their younger coworkers; a stubbornness to learn new techniques, procedures and systems, and longer employment which results in higher wages (Carr-Ruffino, 2009).
Management Perceptions of Ageism There are several stereotypes about older employees in the workplace.
Each stereotype is disproved by fact. A very common phrase which is demeaning to older workers is “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. People assume that older workers are unable to grasp and retain new information. Although memory loss is more common in the elderly, it is definitely not the norm. Another common mistake is assuming that older employees are less sociable. This personality trait can apply to people of all ages. Older employees have had more time to adapt to people and new settings and are more comfortable in social situations. It is also an assumption that older employees will not pull their weight and are just collecting a paycheck. Older employees have more experience performing their jobs, enjoy their jobs more than other age groups, are less apt to leave a job unexpectedly, and value their job security. Absenteeism is another myth that some may contribute to the fact that older employees may require more time away from work for medical reasons. According to the American Council of Life Insurance workers over 45 years old are absent 3.1 days a year compared to younger workers who average 3.8 days (Carr-Ruffino, 2009, p. 516-519). Many managers value their older employees for their experience, commitment to the company, work habits, respect for fellow employees and management, dependability, and their social interaction with coworkers. The benefits of older workers have to be weighed
against negative perceptions which include inflexibility, unwillingness to adapt to new technology, physical limitations and higher health insurance costs.
Combating Ageism in the Workplace “With many baby boomers nearing retirement age, employers must explore a variety of options to meet their staffing needs” (Retaining Experienced Workers, 2012). There are many approaches that management can take to work with older employees in the company and make them feel like they are still a valuable asset. Training programs can be implemented to ensure that older employees are kept up to date on new technology. Older employees can participate in knowledge retention programs to assist them in their training and daily duties. Phased retirement programs and flexible scheduling are also popular strategies for providing older employees with other options besides a rigid work schedule. Management can also ensure that all employees get diversity training to ensure they are aware of rights of older employees in the workplace. Management can also create incentives to encourage older employees to retire.
Age Discrimination in Employment Act The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) issued a final rule, published on March 30, 2012, which “prohibits policies and practices that have the effect of harming older individuals more than younger individuals, unless the employer can show that the policy or practice is based on a reasonable factor other than age” (EEOC, 2012). This ruling, which applies to employers with 20 employers or more, means that employers must prove that actions against employees based on their age will have a disparate effect on their business.
Conclusion
Discrimination of older employees in the workplace is going to be an ongoing problem all employees will have to face during their careers. There will always be conflicts between employees of different ages, and experience levels. To be successful in reducing discrimination in the future managers will need to incorporate strategies to adapt older employees to positions in the workplace and make adjustments that will allow them to use their full potential. Older employees need to be judged on their performance and not their age which applies to all those facing discrimination in the workplace.
Recommendations
Management should incorporate more diverse team building strategies to combine employees of different ages into work groups. This will benefit all employees through exchange of ideas and experiences. Equal Employment Opportunity Program guidelines should be enforced and disciplinary action taken if they are violated. Guides should be developed which assist in dealing with different aspects of ageism. Older employees face different challenges and a guide would help both experienced and inexperienced managers with their decision-making process. Diversity training should be given to all employees, including managers, when they are hired, and then given again yearly as a refresher. Management should also create lines of communication so that older employees can voice their opinions and explain their needs. This will allow management to better understand their employees and react accordingly (Carr-Ruffino, 2009). References
Carr-Ruffino, N. Managing Diversity: People skills for a multicultural workplace, 8th edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing.
Dennis, H. & Kathryn Thomas. (n.d.) Ageism in the Workplace. Retrieved from http://users.manchester.edu/FacStaff/MPLahman/Homepage/McFaddenSFMWebsiteonAgeism/ArticleDennisThomas.pdf Edwards, Sherri. 3/02/2011. Age Discrimination in the Workplace: Is It Ageism Or Your Attitude? Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/moneywisewomen/2011 /03/02/age-discrimination-in-the-workplace-is-it-ageism-or-your-attitude/
Retaining Experienced Workers. February 2012. Retrieved from http://www.aarp.org/work/employee-benefits/info-2007/retaining_experienced_workers.html
U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission. March 2012. EEOC Issues Final Rule on “Reasonable Factors Other than Age” Under the ADEA. Retrieved from http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/3-29-12.cfm
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the problems faced by older employees in the workplace. The problems researched include age discrimination affecting promotions, forced retirement and problems employers face when dealing with older employees. Older employees are facing the same economic issues faced by all employees. Those older employees who do not have, or are unable to survive on savings or investments still need to work. Employers are faced with the problem that as an employee gets older they may be unable to continue working in the same position, or maintain the same schedule and hours worked. It is apparent that this is an issue that will never go away, and employers …show more content…
will need to manage their older employees effectively. Employers must work to develop strategies in the workplace to allow for changes faced by older employees.
Strategies may include transitioning employees to less stressful and time consuming positions, placing older employees in work groups, and adjusting work schedules to enable employees to take care of personal necessities while still completing their work. Proper management of older employees within the workplace will maintain a professional work environment, while showing all employees that they have a future with the company. Workplace Tensions and Ageism Our older employees are the backbone of our workplaces and should be respected as such. Baby Boomers, who make up the greatest number of long-term, older employees, are facing an organizational culture that is lacking in support. Discrimination of employees because they have reached a certain age is unacceptable in the workplace. This discrimination, known as ageism, is the change in perception by younger employees and management when an employee transitions from a middle-aged to an …show more content…
older worker (Carr-Ruffino, 2009, p. 522). Ageism was defined by Robert Butler in 1968 to be a “systematic stereotyping of and discrimination against older people because they are old, just as racism and sexism accomplished this with skin color and gender” (Dennis and Thomas). The perception of ageism has a negative effect for many older employees in the workplace. Although their experience, skills and work production levels have not changed; older workers face being put into a category that makes them feel unwanted, insignificant and as if they have lost the respect of fellow employees. Ageism in the workplace is an ongoing problem for those older employees who still need to work to maintain their standard of living. Many families depend on the income generated by the older workforce to survive. Their treatment in the workplace needs to be one of respect for what they have achieved and not seen as an opening for another’s promotion. Our nation’s older workers are part of our history and have been part of our country’s development. Their experience, connections and confidence should be an asset to any company in the recruitment and training of their future workforce. Many younger workers will eventually arrive at this time in their careers and must realize that a precedent needs to be set now to ensure that older employees are treated fairly now and in our future. Older Workers vs. Younger Workers in the Workplace Older workers have several advantages over their younger co-workers. The majority have developed more responsibility and trustworthiness because of their years with the company. This is in contrast to younger workers who may have the will but don’t have the experience. Many older workers have grown with the company and have had to learn with the company as they became more technologically advanced. Although their education did not include current training; their experience with the company has allowed them to adapt what they learn more readily than younger employees. Many believe older workers should be forced to retire to make room for young people starting their careers. The result would be another retiree on Social Security and Medicare raising medical costs, and a loss of experience for the company.
Management Challenges with Older Workers Managing older employees has several challenges, with many of these challenges faced by managers who are recent college graduates. These challenges include limitations that develop as older employees increase in age which affects their work performance; health issues which raise medical costs and may interfere with performance; less energy than their younger coworkers; a stubbornness to learn new techniques, procedures and systems, and longer employment which results in higher wages (Carr-Ruffino, 2009).
Management Perceptions of Ageism There are several stereotypes about older employees in the workplace.
Each stereotype is disproved by fact. A very common phrase which is demeaning to older workers is “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. People assume that older workers are unable to grasp and retain new information. Although memory loss is more common in the elderly, it is definitely not the norm. Another common mistake is assuming that older employees are less sociable. This personality trait can apply to people of all ages. Older employees have had more time to adapt to people and new settings and are more comfortable in social situations. It is also an assumption that older employees will not pull their weight and are just collecting a paycheck. Older employees have more experience performing their jobs, enjoy their jobs more than other age groups, are less apt to leave a job unexpectedly, and value their job security. Absenteeism is another myth that some may contribute to the fact that older employees may require more time away from work for medical reasons. According to the American Council of Life Insurance workers over 45 years old are absent 3.1 days a year compared to younger workers who average 3.8 days (Carr-Ruffino, 2009, p. 516-519). Many managers value their older employees for their experience, commitment to the company, work habits, respect for fellow employees and management, dependability, and their social interaction with coworkers. The benefits of older workers have to be weighed
against negative perceptions which include inflexibility, unwillingness to adapt to new technology, physical limitations and higher health insurance costs.
Combating Ageism in the Workplace “With many baby boomers nearing retirement age, employers must explore a variety of options to meet their staffing needs” (Retaining Experienced Workers, 2012). There are many approaches that management can take to work with older employees in the company and make them feel like they are still a valuable asset. Training programs can be implemented to ensure that older employees are kept up to date on new technology. Older employees can participate in knowledge retention programs to assist them in their training and daily duties. Phased retirement programs and flexible scheduling are also popular strategies for providing older employees with other options besides a rigid work schedule. Management can also ensure that all employees get diversity training to ensure they are aware of rights of older employees in the workplace. Management can also create incentives to encourage older employees to retire.
Age Discrimination in Employment Act The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) issued a final rule, published on March 30, 2012, which “prohibits policies and practices that have the effect of harming older individuals more than younger individuals, unless the employer can show that the policy or practice is based on a reasonable factor other than age” (EEOC, 2012). This ruling, which applies to employers with 20 employers or more, means that employers must prove that actions against employees based on their age will have a disparate effect on their business.
Conclusion
Discrimination of older employees in the workplace is going to be an ongoing problem all employees will have to face during their careers. There will always be conflicts between employees of different ages, and experience levels. To be successful in reducing discrimination in the future managers will need to incorporate strategies to adapt older employees to positions in the workplace and make adjustments that will allow them to use their full potential. Older employees need to be judged on their performance and not their age which applies to all those facing discrimination in the workplace.
Recommendations
Management should incorporate more diverse team building strategies to combine employees of different ages into work groups. This will benefit all employees through exchange of ideas and experiences. Equal Employment Opportunity Program guidelines should be enforced and disciplinary action taken if they are violated. Guides should be developed which assist in dealing with different aspects of ageism. Older employees face different challenges and a guide would help both experienced and inexperienced managers with their decision-making process. Diversity training should be given to all employees, including managers, when they are hired, and then given again yearly as a refresher. Management should also create lines of communication so that older employees can voice their opinions and explain their needs. This will allow management to better understand their employees and react accordingly (Carr-Ruffino, 2009). References
Carr-Ruffino, N. Managing Diversity: People skills for a multicultural workplace, 8th edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing.
Dennis, H. & Kathryn Thomas. (n.d.) Ageism in the Workplace. Retrieved from http://users.manchester.edu/FacStaff/MPLahman/Homepage/McFaddenSFMWebsiteonAgeism/ArticleDennisThomas.pdf Edwards, Sherri. 3/02/2011. Age Discrimination in the Workplace: Is It Ageism Or Your Attitude? Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/moneywisewomen/2011 /03/02/age-discrimination-in-the-workplace-is-it-ageism-or-your-attitude/
Retaining Experienced Workers. February 2012. Retrieved from http://www.aarp.org/work/employee-benefits/info-2007/retaining_experienced_workers.html
U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission. March 2012. EEOC Issues Final Rule on “Reasonable Factors Other than Age” Under the ADEA. Retrieved from http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/3-29-12.cfm