How to overcome ageism? – MK

“After forty, life is just beginning” – the famous phrase of the heroine of the film “Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears” does not sound so encouraging today. Starting from the age of 40–45, many workers experience difficulties in the labor market. The applicant is still full of energy, has experience and invaluable knowledge, but after the “age” line, the employer does not even read his resume, preferring younger candidates. Ageism – age discrimination based on stereotypes and prejudices – has become a truly global problem today. How they fight it in modern society – in the material “MK”.

Job market for young people?

Every fourth inhabitant of Russia (35 million people as of January 1, 2022) has reached retirement age. The increase in the number of older people brought with it serious changes in the labor market – in the world of the Internet, social networks, the cult of activity and success of older people began to be considered ballast. Career growth, productivity and the right to happiness have somehow become the prerogative of youth.

The term “ageism” was introduced in 1969 by Robert Butler, director of the US National Institute on Aging. As with racism or sexism, because of their prejudice, people often attribute certain qualities to an entire group of people of the same age. This becomes especially sensitive when trying to find a job, sometimes leading to real tragedies. The World Health Organization estimates that ageism is responsible for 6.3 million cases of depression worldwide.

There are a lot of myths about older employees: they are supposedly not ready for changes and career development, they often take sick leave, and they are devoid of motivation. As a result of such prejudices, a successful qualified specialist at some point in his life may face insurmountable obstacles in the labor market.

The problem of ageism has already reached the stage where just talking about it is not enough. In the UK, for example, it has long been recognized that age discrimination has become epidemic, and that the unspoken taboo against “old” employees deprives companies of the most experienced and dedicated people.

The professional potential of older people is one of the most underestimated resources, studies say. However, after the milestone of 40–45 years, an employee may be denied career growth and training. The employer at the same time does not want to invest in its development and makes claims due to a lack of relevant skills.

It is worth recalling that in Russia, refusal to hire on the basis of age, and even simply indicating age in a vacancy, is considered an administrative violation. And yet, 9 out of 10 people aged 45+ experience discrimination in the workplace and when looking for a job, and the labor income of such Russians falls by 22% with age.

Battle of generations

Today’s labor market favors young people. It is not difficult for people from 20 to 30 years old to find a job or change it if they wish. But their parents often experience difficulties in solving career issues. However, the lack of trust between older and younger workers is fraught with conflict and real productivity losses.

Older workers who have held the same position for decades can frustrate younger colleagues on their career path. When people of different generations work side by side, tensions and unspoken arguments about who is more useful to the company are common.

The most frustrating thing is that a lack of understanding of age issues can lead to denial of employment or promotion. Unfortunately, few companies are ready to take decisive action to combat such discrimination. Meanwhile, teams of different ages have their own value because they bring together people with complementary skills, abilities and connections. With a balanced approach, they can offer more productive collaboration and increase overall efficiency. A cross-generational team can use their age diversity to build something that no generation could have built on its own.

A great example of this approach is the story of a Michigan Technological University team that developed a low-cost, open-source 3D printer. The young employee was about to order the necessary mechanism on the marketplace, but the senior colleague had already assembled it from spare parts – faster and cheaper than delivery would have worked.

Age is not a hindrance

As practice shows, teams and companies with diverse age groups achieve better financial results. Experienced employees are not inferior to young ones in their willingness to learn, invest in new skills, and engage in private business. For 15 years in the US, the highest index of entrepreneurial activity has been shown by the 55-64 age group.

It is no coincidence that the European Union has declared older entrepreneurship one of the key elements of economic growth, and Japan has launched several large programs to support older entrepreneurs.

Experiments with teams of older employees give interesting results. So, in 2018, a well-known coffee shop chain staffed its cafe in the capital of Mexico with staff over the age of 50. This case turned out to be quite successful and became part of a corporate PR campaign, replicated by the media around the world.

It is difficult for modern Russians to find a phrase in which the word “old” would not have a negative connotation. One of them is Old New Year. Activists from the Young Old Lab project are proposing to make it International Day Against Age Prejudice.

“In our society, old age is usually feared, and one’s desires at an older age are ashamed. This fear and stereotypes about older people not only exist in the minds of people, but also negatively affect our lives – at work, in the family, at home. Overcoming anxiety and negative ideas about elders is a challenge for each of us, because we all will face them one day or are already facing them, ”says Tatiana Drozdova, co-founder of Young Old Lab.

After all, if the negative connotations associated with the word “old” are just the result of ageism in our heads, then it’s worth fighting for your happiness and well-being at any age.