In this month’s DEIB installment of Financially Naked: Stories from The Financial Gym, Rachel, our HR Manager, and Certified Financial Trainer Garrett dive into the important but often overlooked topic of ageism. They explore how age-based discrimination impacts both younger and older adults in the workplace, share personal experiences, and discuss the broader implications of forced retirement and the value of mentorship. They chat about the importance of age diversity, inclusive policies, and the mutual learning that can happen when different generations come together.

Podcast Notes

Understanding Ageism

What is Ageism? Ageism is a type of discrimination based on age that affects both younger and older people. It’s not just about being too young or too old but about the assumptions made about someone based on age.

Ageism in the Workplace: Ageism can appear in different areas of life but is especially prevalent in the workplace. Younger individuals are often dismissed as inexperienced, and older individuals might be seen as out of touch with new technologies.

Rachel’s and Garrett’s Experiences: With her experience in HR, Rachel has faced ageism firsthand. Garrett shares a family story where valuable skills were overlooked due to age, which shows how demotivating and confidence-killing ageism can be.

The Impact of Ageism

Forced Retirement: Ageism can lead to forced retirement, which can extinguish a person’s passion and purpose. Finding purpose outside of work can be hard, making this transition particularly difficult for those who aren’t expecting it.

Mentorship and Value: Older employees often bring invaluable mentorship to the workplace, something that is frequently overlooked. Rachel shares that regardless of age, everyone brings value and can elevate the team knowledge.

Photos on Resumes: The recent practice of including photos on resumes can perpetuate unconscious bias, making it harder to avoid age-related discrimination for hiring teams and HR managers.

Combating Ageism

Promoting Age Diversity: We all have something to learn from our colleagues of all ages. Companies that embrace age diversity benefit from a broader range of experiences and skills, which can drive innovation and improve performance.

Inclusive Policies: Leaders and HR professionals should offer age-inclusive policies and training to foster an environment where everyone feels valued and included. This way, everyone’s voice is heard and no one is left behind or excluded.

Mutual Learning: Awareness is keyl; both older and younger generations have so much to offer. We can challenge biases and create a more inclusive workplace and world by bridging generational gaps through mentorship and age-inclusive collaboration.

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