Increasing Age Diversity in the Workplace

Over the past century, the average age of the workforce

has continually increased as medical science continues

to enhance longevity and vitality. The fastest-growing

segment of the workforce is individuals over the age of 55.

Recent medical research is exploring techniques that

could extend human life to 100 years or more. In addition,

the combination of laws prohibiting age discrimination

and elimination of defined-benefit pension plans means

that many individuals continue to work well past the traditional

age of retirement.

Unfortunately, older workers face a variety of

discriminatory attitudes in the workplace. Researchers

scanned more than 100 publications on age discrimination

to determine what types of age stereotypes were most

prevalent across studies. They found that stereotypes

suggested job performance declined with age, counter to

empirical evidence presented earlier in this chapter that

relationships between age and core task performance are

essentially nil. Stereotypes also suggest that older workers

are less adaptable, less flexible, and incapable of learning

new concepts. Research, on the other hand, suggests they

are capable of learning and adapting to new situations

when these are framed appropriately.

Organizations can take steps to limit age discrimination

and ensure that employees are treated fairly regardless of

age. Many of the techniques to limit age discrimination

come down to fundamentally sound management practices

relevant for all employees: set clear expectations for

performance, deal with problems directly, communicate

with workers frequently, and follow clear policies and

procedures consistently. In particular, management

professionals note that clarity and consistency can help

ensure all employees are treated equally regardless of age.