Ageism and general discrimination in the workplace is nothing new: for years, companies, managers, and even coworkers who have learned best from seasoned employees have presented a negative attitude towards individual employees simply because of their age. Perhaps this view is fueled by the thought that an aging individual cannot perform their job as efficiently, or that they don’t understand youth-dominated aspects of society as well as their newer counterparts, such as technology. The problem with the concept of ageism existing in the workplace is a major problem because as you age and spend more years with a specific company/ in a specific position, you gain more experience under your belt and usually know how to actually perform better. However, this factual knowledge is easily dismissed by companies and employers who constantly want the newer, younger, more improved model of what an employee is supposed to deliver. This has also become a problem deeply reflected by the rise of AI (artificial intelligence); while this problem may be affecting mainly older individuals as of late, many younger employees and managers fail to realize how this will affect them as well one day.
While as a society we are not completely up to par, AI is already preparing to do almost everything a human can—we already have customer management, navigating large data, accounting, banking, and now AI is programming to move to advanced tasks such investments, marketing just in time to consumer demographics and behaviors, monitoring companies’ systems, and performing surgeries. For trained, experienced and perhaps older employees who are already targeted for not being able to complete tasks at a quick enough pace or not as efficiently as younger employees, AI can certainly pose a threat and lead to layoffs, pay cuts, or jumpstart early retirement for the seasoned employees or executives. According to a brief from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, those most at risk for replacement by AI include about 35-49% of those in middle-ground labor positions, such as baristas, restaurant workers, truck drivers, maintenance and construction workers, and social service workers. One main concern about AI’s effect on older people currently isn’t even about the workforce and keeping a steady job, but rather how an AI-driven healthcare system often leaves out older people: new AI approaches and systems often ignore the feedback of older people, assuming that they don’t know how to navigate technology. AI-driven studies and statistics also have been continually reported to leave out the elderly population, who are benefiting the least from the healthcare system.
The main concern for ageism in the workplace at the moment is still younger workers and employers who often let their stereotypes get the best of them. What can you, as an employee or employer do to combat human-driven ageism? For starters, it can help to promote a more inclusive workspace; one great suggestion for this includes holding training sessions and promotional opportunities in which workers of all ages can learn something from one another. As a manager or employer, it is also useful to look for social cues or pick up on judgements or stereotypes from coworkers. If you see a coworker or employer openly discriminate against another employee because of their age, the right thing to do is report it.
A multigenerational workforce is not only ethical but also efficient, building a huge culture of diversity and knowledge; being proactive about implementing inclusivity at your workplace is a major step towards reversing the effects of ageism.
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