Yes, age discrimination is real
KEY TAKEAWAY: Two out of three workers between ages 45 and 74 say they have seen or experienced age discrimination at work, and job seekers over age 35 cite it as a top obstacle to getting hired. Among older workers surveyed by AARP, not getting hired is the most common type of age discrimination they experienced, with 19 percent of respondents citing it.
Contrary to stereotypes, workers age 50 and up are among the most engaged members of the workforce, according to an AARP study.
Sixty-five percent of employees age 55 and up are “engaged,” compared to 58 to 60 percent of younger employees. They also offer employers lower turnover rates and greater levels of experience.
If you’re a job-seeker of a certain age and you’re not having an easy time of it, worries about age discrimination could sink your mojo to the point that it’s hard even to keep trying.
A recent study by Spherion found that roughly 25 percent of employees make judgments about their co-workers’ and supervisors’ abilities to do their job based on their age alone. This rate is as high as 39 percent among millennials, higher than any other generation. The research also identified that, in 2017, 69 percent of younger workers lack the business and life experience required for leadership positions.
Knowledge Transfer From Retiring Boomers: Not Happening Much
4 million boomers a year leave the workforce and boomers comprise 31% of workers; 56% of retiring boomers are in leadership positions. That’s a lot of knowledge that disappears.
A new survey of 1,500 boomers by Express Employment Professionals found few employers are asking for this knowledge before boomers walk out the door for the last time. They’re not passing the torch; they’re dropping it.
According to the survey:
- 57% of boomers have shared half or less of the knowledge needed to perform their job responsibilities with those who will assume them after they retire
- 21% have shared none of their knowledge
- Only 18% have shared all of their knowledge
What this means to companies is lost opportunities, lost sale, lost profits.
When are we going to learn to judge people on their work not their appearance.
Originally published at newmanagementandhr.com on January 31, 2019.
