What is ageism?
Ageism is prejudice based on a person's age. This stereotypical and discriminatory behaviour is common against the older population. In the workplace, we often find this idea of ageism in practice, which emanates from biases towards a specific age group and against a few others. In the office, employees tend to discriminate against seniors who are more than 55 years of age. It is a form of injustice that society serves them, and these acts of discrimination not only hamper the victim’s mental health but also degrade the quality of work. Although the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) has flagged a strong prohibition against ageism in the workplace, several companies simply overlook these provisions. This reluctant behaviour often allows their employees to judge older workers based on their age.
Types of ageism
A proper understanding of the types of ageism prevalent in the workspace is necessary to fight against this discrimination and develop a sense of inclusiveness within the workspace. Following are the types of ageism that are commonly seen in practice:
- Recruitment and Hiring Bias
- Unequal Pay
- Minimum Training Opportunities
- Unfair Promotion Opportunities
Impact of ageism on job seekers
For older job seekers, discrimination based on age can create frustration. They often lose the purpose of life, which makes them feel devalued. It reduces their motivation to work and affects their well-being adversely. This plight is aggravated due to a lack of social connections and a sense of fulfilment. During old age, employees frequently become vulnerable to financial insecurities. For them, finding a new job in old age is difficult due to the practice of ageism in work culture. Some companies are inherently focused on selecting young candidates for their office work. This limits the scope of the older job seekers to explore various prospects of employment, making them uncomfortable in the ever-changing job market.
Strategies for Overcoming Ageism
Although ageism gives a bitter experience in the workplace, there are strategies to overcome its side effects.
- Awareness: Education is the best way to spread awareness about ageism and its impact on older employees. Addressing its negative impacts can help remove the discrimination and incubate a sense of inclusiveness in the employees’ minds. It is the responsibility of every company owner to educate their employees regarding the importance of the older working generation and how they can benefit the company in achieving long-term goals.
- Legislation: Strong enforcement of the laws to prohibit such discrimination is necessary. Every company should tighten the noose and take action to improve the existing legal norms associated with discriminatory practices. This problem is persistent not only in India but also in global culture. Laws discouraging age-based discrimination should be effectively implemented within the office premises.
- Mentorship: The office maintains heterogeneity in terms of age. Older employees have a better experience than the younger ones. Companies are expected to utilize this opportunity for intergenerational collaboration that will aid in knowledge transfer. It will also make the older workers feel accepted in the workplace.
How does Career Corps help you to overcome ageism?
Ageism is a burning problem in the corporate world. This can harm the mental health of older employees in a company. As the older generation is not fluent with modern technological advancements, they are the worst victim of ageism. Career Corps has designed the programs in such a way that it is suitable for all age groups. From basic to advanced levels, the mentors are ready to help you out with your technical knowledge. 4 different career development programs are currently offered by Career Corps, namely-
The best feature is that these programs will not take a long time to complete and will provide you with a 100% job guarantee in a legal document without any terms and conditions. The maximum duration of all these career development programs is 6 months. So within this short period, you can get a new skill to add to your resume along with the opportunity of securing a high-paying job in your hand. The following are the benefits of joining Career Corps:
- 100% Placement Guarantee
- A network of 500+ Hiring Partners.
- Government certification underscores our commitment to excellence.
- While our mentors provide invaluable guidance.
- Best of all, no terms and conditions apply, ensuring a seamless journey towards your professional goals. Join us and step confidently into a future brimming with opportunity.
Your success is Career Corps pride. Challenge the stereotype of ageism with these life-changing courses of Career Corps.
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Overcoming Ageism In The Job Market