Ageism in the workplace is, unfortunately, a very common problem in the corporate world today. It can be hard to spot and even harder to deal with, but it’s important to take action against it if you see it happening. Ageism is a form of age discrimination at work that can have serious consequences amongst colleagues.
It’s important to be aware of the signs of ageism at work so you can maintain workplace fairness and equality for all employees. You will need to learn how to deal with ageism at work to ensure all workers feel involved.
Signs that you may be experiencing ageism in the workplace
- You’re not promoted or given opportunities for growth or advancement despite being qualified for them. When you feel like you aren’t getting promotions because of ageism, then it could be a sign.
- You’re the only one in your office who doesn’t have access to crucial technology like email or Slack, which means you feel isolated from your team and less connected to the company as a whole (and also makes it harder to do your job).
- Your boss has said something about your age being an issue. For example, “older people just aren’t good with new technology.”
- You’re the only one who has been asked to work overtime regularly—and your boss never asks anyone else to do so. This can occur because you are young and everyone has this age bias in the workplace that you are strong enough to work longer hours.
In some cases, you are the only one who regularly gets assigned the most difficult projects and tasks, even though your coworkers have more experience or training than you do.
- Another sign of ageism in the workplace is when your boss seems to have a habit of talking down to you in front of other people—or worse yet, getting angry when you ask questions or make suggestions about work-related issues.
- Another sign of age discrimination at work is when fear troops in. You feel like there’s an unspoken rule against bringing up any kind of complaint or concern about your job because the people who do seem to get punished for doing so (by being given extra work or being singled out for negative reviews).
What ageism looks like in the workplace
Ageism is a serious problem in the workplace, and it’s important that you know what to look out for. Ageism can take many forms, including:
- Discouraging older employees from staying at work past their retirement age.
- Discriminating against older applicants by not hiring them.
- Discriminating against older employees by not promoting them.
- Discriminating against older employees by forcing them to retire early or cut their hours.
- Making jokes about people being too old to do their job well.
- Making jokes about people’s ages in general. For example, saying “you are so old.” You should never joke about someone’s age because it could come across as age discrimination at work.
How to maintain workplace fairness
If any of these things happen at your company, it’s important that you speak up. You don’t have to be a victim of ageism—you can help put an end to it by speaking up when someone makes a discriminatory comment. Fight the age bias in the workplace by speaking up and educating both your bosses and coworkers.
Bosses should avoid ageism in the workplace by encouraging training when it comes to technology for older employees, so they can engage better with their coworkers. Also, give promotions to your employees as deserved and not based on their ages. They should also employ people based on their skillset and other important characteristics, and not only by their age.
Ageism in the workplace is a big issue. It could come in different forms, like you asking your boss for feedback and she gives it to you in front of everyone else; no one respects your opinion; your coworkers make fun of you because you’re older or younger than them; and so many other signs. It’s best to maintain workplace fairness for a healthy environment.