Discrimination against the workforce, be it on the basis of color, caste, creed, religion, or age, is rampant not only across America but all over the world. Once such discrimination at the workplace is ageism under which the people are being discriminated against based on their age.
Ageism can impact people of every age, thus disallowing them to perform to their maximum capacity in the workplace. For instance, based on just one incident, a negative perception can be created against that specific age group, and anyone belonging to that group faces the brunt of the workplace.
While ageism can happen against people of any age, most of the time, older people are the real victims of this.
How to combat ageism at the workplace? Let’s see
Neutralizing prejudiced notions against the age group
At times companies start thinking that they need a younger workforce, so they try hard to get rid of older people. A most common claim for making this transition is that older people resist change and have lesser learning capability compared to younger people.
However, this is not always the case. For instance, older people can benefit from their experience of working in industry overtime.
This allows them to channel their energies in a better fashion while learning new skills. Another most common prejudiced notion regarding old people is that they are just passing their time and making money for retirement.
So companies believe that they will leave the job at their earliest convenience whenever they get enough money for retirement.
Instead of substantiating these biased notions, companies should assume a path of equality. Even old people can learn new things rapidly, given that they are being taught in a proper environment.
So companies should try to make different methodologies for people of varying backgrounds and ages, which can help fight ageism at the workplace.
Continous training is the key to fight ageism
The new staff is usually trained when they join the workforce. However, older people can be denied job opportunities as companies believe that they may lack technical knowledge.
However, just like companies give training to young staff for various things, older staff can also be trained in technological things, thus bridging the much-needed gap created by ageism.
In fact, training should be the ongoing part of any business, and those who are lacking in one certain area should be equipped enough to make the workforce extraordinary in the long run.
Eradicating discriminatory social clues
Social clues that discriminate against people based on their age should be eliminated. This is due to the fact that old people become the subject of the jokes that prevail in any working setup, which ultimately create ageism. Thus any joke which targets people of a certain age should not be practiced in workplaces.
Enabling honest feedback and communication
Creating an environment in which older people can share their concerns regarding discrimination is a very important thing in order to tackle ageism.
In this way, the vulnerable population can express their feelings and the type of discrimination that takes place in the workplace.
Eventually, it will help organizations to enact laws against those specific things which older people face on a daily basis.
This will also assist companies in eradicating the social menace through honest debates. Ultimately more people will take a stand against discrimination, be it in any form, which will pave the way for businesses to promote meritocracy instead of favoritism and ageism.
Connecting workforce of different ages
Creating a deep connection between the older and younger population is one of the things that can eradicate ageism in every aspect.
For instance, young people may have higher motivation; however, older people have on ground skills needed to make a real difference. Without real-life experience, young people can fail even with a lot of bookish knowledge.
If companies can team up older people with young ones, it will ultimately help them beat ageism.
Final Thoughts
Discrimination in any form is detrimental to meritocracy, and ageism is no different. Workplace ageism can undermine the companies to reach their true potential.
And as the very same companies contribute to the GDP of the country and the overall economic health, the consequences of this discrimination are severe, which adds up to destroy the global economy.
Eli is a Political Data Scientist with over thirty years of experience in Data Engineering, Analytics, and Digital Marketing. Eli uses his expertise to give the latest information and distinctive analysis on US Political News, US Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, and Racial Justice equipping readers with the inequivalent knowledge.