THIS IS the age of Gen Y. Youngsters dominate the workforce with 20 - 35 being the desired age. The animus against old people rules. And what is old? Well, 40 is considered over the hill, you do not stand a chance once you cross the landmark 50 and 60 is positively ancient!
`Out with the old and in with the new' is the new corporate mantra for survival. Unfortunately, this cliché is not limited to skills and methods but encompasses age too.
Consider Gregory Tingey of England who applied for more than 100 jobs, had four interviews but received no offers. This despite having a degree in physics, a master's degree in engineering, a higher national certificate in electronics and years of experience in manufacturing research. `At 59, I cannot even get a job as an electrician', he moans. This is pure and undiluted ageism!
Youth has become the preposterous yardstick for performance. An employee enjoys a rising trajectory and suddenly, wham! He is denied the well-deserved promotion and pushed into a low-level job with reduced responsibilities only because he is too `old'. Top it off with increasing pressure and loud hints pointing him towards early retirement and he may almost succumb. All because he is on the wrong side of 45! His chances of landing a new job are infinitesimal even as he sends out résumé after résumé.
Older employees also face the axe more often during layoffs and are replaced with younger employees. Moreover, if the CEO happens to be a 34 year old, he will hesitate interminably before hiring a 42 year old, however experienced. There is a ten to one chance that the vote will swing in favour of a raw recruit, despite the lack of experience skill and knowledge. All this is done in the name of inducting new blood to rejuvenate the organisation.
Deserve a better deal
The environment today reeks of age discrimination. Older people are stereotyped as inflexible, failing in health and unwilling to learn or adapt. But, the truth is far from this. How can one ignore the importance of diversity, experience, maturity, dedication, reliability and wisdom that the members of the older generation have on their side?
Moreover, with rising life expectancy, better health and economic necessity, people need and want to work. Nobody can deny them this right. As 67-year-old Patricia Zellar of Sacramento, U.S.A. laments, `Just because you get older, you are not on the verge of death. Those employers who want young employees with no experience are cheating themselves'.
British TV presenter Johnny Ball reaffirms, `Discrimination due to age is one of the great tragedies of modern life. The desire to work and be useful is what makes life worth living. To be told your efforts are not needed because you are the wrong age is a crime'. Beware, now you may even buy yourself a lawsuit in the face of increasing legal protection provided by courts. The Ford Motor Co. for instance had to cough up US$13 million to settle a class-action age-discrimination lawsuit.
Shattering the negative prejudices
Age does not determine the capacity to perform. It is high time that we wake up to this fact and learn to value older people. They are, in fact worth their weight in gold. So, stop making assumptions and discriminate based on age.
However, merely sending a memo to the HR department will not put an end to the ageist practices ruling the workplace. This is only lip service to the cause; a more hands-on approach is called for. Here are few pointers on how to put the plan into action:
Recruitment and selection procedures - The job advertisement should encourage applications from all age groups. Steer clear of age limits and discriminatory language like `young' or `fresh'. Use a mixed age interviewing panel to successfully recruit a diverse age team.
Promotions and layoffs - Avoid age cut-offs for promotion and training to get rid of discriminatory implications. Set measurable standards for evaluating performance with focus on skills, abilities and potential. Use job-related criteria when considering employees for redundancy. Make sure age is not a criterion and let people know that. Base retirement policy on business needs and adopt flexible retirement schemes wherever possible.
Retain and motivate them - Reaffirm the `There is nothing wrong with being older' attitude. Develop a supportive environment for older workers to bring out the best in them. Build morale and productivity by appreciating their performance. Encourage them to serve as experts, specialists and mentors. Provide on-the-job training to update their skills and prevent obsolescence.
Revise attitudes - Arrange workshops to train the staff to uphold non-discriminatory practices and deal with intergenerational issues. Make it clear that the company will not tolerate discrimination. Companies can also set up internal grievance procedures to deal with such issues.
The next time you find someone being written off because of his supposedly advancing age, think of 72-year-old team manager, Jack McKeon who guided the Florida Marlins to a World Series victory. This came three years after he was pushed out of baseball because of age discrimination!
Also, keep in mind that no one is immune to ageing. Age will catch up with you too. What you do today will be done unto you, say, fifteen years down the line!
`Out with the old and in with the new' is the new corporate mantra for survival. Unfortunately, this cliché is not limited to skills and methods but encompasses age too.
Consider Gregory Tingey of England who applied for more than 100 jobs, had four interviews but received no offers. This despite having a degree in physics, a master's degree in engineering, a higher national certificate in electronics and years of experience in manufacturing research. `At 59, I cannot even get a job as an electrician', he moans. This is pure and undiluted ageism!
Youth has become the preposterous yardstick for performance. An employee enjoys a rising trajectory and suddenly, wham! He is denied the well-deserved promotion and pushed into a low-level job with reduced responsibilities only because he is too `old'. Top it off with increasing pressure and loud hints pointing him towards early retirement and he may almost succumb. All because he is on the wrong side of 45! His chances of landing a new job are infinitesimal even as he sends out résumé after résumé.
Older employees also face the axe more often during layoffs and are replaced with younger employees. Moreover, if the CEO happens to be a 34 year old, he will hesitate interminably before hiring a 42 year old, however experienced. There is a ten to one chance that the vote will swing in favour of a raw recruit, despite the lack of experience skill and knowledge. All this is done in the name of inducting new blood to rejuvenate the organisation.
Deserve a better deal
The environment today reeks of age discrimination. Older people are stereotyped as inflexible, failing in health and unwilling to learn or adapt. But, the truth is far from this. How can one ignore the importance of diversity, experience, maturity, dedication, reliability and wisdom that the members of the older generation have on their side?
Moreover, with rising life expectancy, better health and economic necessity, people need and want to work. Nobody can deny them this right. As 67-year-old Patricia Zellar of Sacramento, U.S.A. laments, `Just because you get older, you are not on the verge of death. Those employers who want young employees with no experience are cheating themselves'.
British TV presenter Johnny Ball reaffirms, `Discrimination due to age is one of the great tragedies of modern life. The desire to work and be useful is what makes life worth living. To be told your efforts are not needed because you are the wrong age is a crime'. Beware, now you may even buy yourself a lawsuit in the face of increasing legal protection provided by courts. The Ford Motor Co. for instance had to cough up US$13 million to settle a class-action age-discrimination lawsuit.
Shattering the negative prejudices
Age does not determine the capacity to perform. It is high time that we wake up to this fact and learn to value older people. They are, in fact worth their weight in gold. So, stop making assumptions and discriminate based on age.
However, merely sending a memo to the HR department will not put an end to the ageist practices ruling the workplace. This is only lip service to the cause; a more hands-on approach is called for. Here are few pointers on how to put the plan into action:
Recruitment and selection procedures - The job advertisement should encourage applications from all age groups. Steer clear of age limits and discriminatory language like `young' or `fresh'. Use a mixed age interviewing panel to successfully recruit a diverse age team.
Promotions and layoffs - Avoid age cut-offs for promotion and training to get rid of discriminatory implications. Set measurable standards for evaluating performance with focus on skills, abilities and potential. Use job-related criteria when considering employees for redundancy. Make sure age is not a criterion and let people know that. Base retirement policy on business needs and adopt flexible retirement schemes wherever possible.
Retain and motivate them - Reaffirm the `There is nothing wrong with being older' attitude. Develop a supportive environment for older workers to bring out the best in them. Build morale and productivity by appreciating their performance. Encourage them to serve as experts, specialists and mentors. Provide on-the-job training to update their skills and prevent obsolescence.
Revise attitudes - Arrange workshops to train the staff to uphold non-discriminatory practices and deal with intergenerational issues. Make it clear that the company will not tolerate discrimination. Companies can also set up internal grievance procedures to deal with such issues.
The next time you find someone being written off because of his supposedly advancing age, think of 72-year-old team manager, Jack McKeon who guided the Florida Marlins to a World Series victory. This came three years after he was pushed out of baseball because of age discrimination!
Also, keep in mind that no one is immune to ageing. Age will catch up with you too. What you do today will be done unto you, say, fifteen years down the line!
PAYAL AGARWAL
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