Monday 22 January 2018

How To Combat Ageism In The Workplace

By Christine King


Finding employment is hard enough in this day and age. It seems as if they are more people than there are jobs. There are times in some people may even be overqualified for a certain position and the company is not able to offer them the type of sanity they deserve to be earning and in that specific case there time down for the position. However, in other cases they may be people that are perfectly qualified for specific at all however due to the age there declined. This is basically considered ageism in the workplace.

People who are over a certain age are basically subjected to this type of treatment and discrimination. So if you are above middle age or probably even approaching it, you stand to be discriminated against when applying for a job. Even though this may not be the reason given to why you application was unsuccessful.

What basically happens is that you may have more experience, skills and expertise for that specific at all than a younger person however due to the fact that you are older than that person you will be declined for the position. This practice is common in companies across the board. Older people are seen as fragile, sickly and generally unhealthier than younger people.

So it doesn't matter what industry you are applying at what company you are applying at for that matter as well. Ultimately, this is simply a stereotype that is attached to aging or the aging process in general. So all the people always seen as less fit than younger ones.

It has been happening for decades and it is simply a stereotype. However there are certain laws that also encourage the stereotype one of them being the retirement age law. However, this can all be changed with time. So basically doesn't matter where or when it takes place all that matters is that it is still being practiced even told this day.

That is why this happens is very unclear. However, when it comes all boils down to why it is being done, it is obvious to see that's older people are discriminated against. Although companies cannot prove that younger people are more suitable or qualified for the position, they have this general mentality that older people are stickier and less healthy than young people.

So ultimately what tends to happen is that younger people form certain perceptions of older people in their mind. This is also due to the fact that within the workplace there is a generational gap. So you never get younger people in a team collaborating with older people in that same specific team. So this could lead to certain stereotypes sticking.

So in an effort to try and count this will prevent this from happening, they are various things that people can do. In some countries they have implemented anti-discrimination laws which basically disallows anyone being declined for a certain position due to they age. Lots of other countries have also implemented or abolished mandatory retirement ages. Ultimately, this is all intended to prevent older people from being discriminated against.




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