Soft signals that your workplace is ageist
The most important structural issue limiting the opportunities for workers aged 50+ is the bias shown by employing organisations. Sometimes conscious, often unconscious, this prejudice needs to be addressed to enable Australians to work effectively into their 50s and 60s.
Midlife workers need employers to be more open to hiring and retaining workers aged over 50. For workers to remain employable, to be able to re-enter the workforce or to overcome underemployment post 50, more Australian employers need to become aware of the value more mature and experienced workers can bring to their organisations.
Age discrimination is a form of discrimination based solely on age, where preconceived notions, myths and stereotypes unfairly influence how individuals are treated in various aspects of life, especially the workplace.
According to the 2023 Voice of Experience survey from Denied to Many amongst 1,150 Australians aged over 50, more than 21% of respondents believe they have been discriminated against by their current employer and 53% have been discriminated against when applying for a new role.
Decreased job satisfaction, reduced career opportunities, underused skills, knowledge and experience, as well as impaired team dynamics and performance are just some of the ways ageism can harm a workforce.
Concerningly, amongst the 21% of employees who believe they have been discriminated against by their current employer, most indicate so called soft signal ageism, or
Soft ageism refers to subtle, often unintentional behaviours, attitudes, and comments that reflect and reinforce negative stereotypes and prejudices about older adults. Unlike overt ageism, which is explicit and direct, soft ageism is more insidious and can be harder to identify.
Four of the most common forms of soft signal age discrimination are:
Choice of words
A consistently poor choice of words can reinforce negative stereotypes, diminishing the perceived value of individuals, and fostering a culture of disrespect and exclusion.
Using phrases that imply incompetence or slowness, such as ‘over the hill’ or ‘stuck in their ways’ reinforce harmful stereotypes about older people being less capable or adaptable. Equally, referring to employees aged 50+ as ‘old-timers’ or a similar phrase denoting time served, can make them feel undervalued and irrelevant.
Language that emphasises youth, such as ‘young and dynamic team’ or ‘energetic and fresh ideas’, can implicitly exclude older employees and create a sense of not belonging, as can statements that pit generations against each other, such as GenX vs. Millennials.
Age related jokes or comments
Ageist jokes often rely on stereotypes that depict older people as forgetful, slow, or out of touch. These stereotypes can influence how people perceive and interact with older individuals, leading to biased assumptions about their capabilities.
Jokes about age, in the same way as sexist or racist humour, normalise discriminatory attitudes and behaviours, making it appear acceptable to judge and treat people differently based on their age. This can contribute to a work environment where age discrimination is tolerated or even encouraged, leading to those aged 50+ potentially feeling undervalued, marginalised, or ridiculed, which can impact their morale, job satisfaction, and overall well-being.
Unfair assumptions
Unfair assumptions about employees aged 50+, for example, that they are set in their ways or are less adaptable, slower, or resistant to change, reinforce harmful stereotypes and can lead to prejudice. These stereotypes can shape how midlife workers are perceived and treated in the workplace.
These assumptions can also be seen during the recruitment process with opinions that older workers are overqualified and therefore more expensive, less technologically savvy, or nearing retirement resulting in discriminatory hiring practices.
Workplace activities
Excluding, anyone, including older employees, from social interactions, such as lunch outings, informal gatherings, or team events, can make them feel isolated and unwelcome. This can lead to feelings of alienation and a sense that they do not belong to the team.
In a recent Voice of Experience survey by Denied to Many, amongst 1,150 Australians aged 50+, 21.3% admitted to having feelings of alienation in the workplace based solely age discrimination.
According to the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI), 84% of their membership indicate that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) are critical to the continued success of their organisation, however, from data published by PwC, only 8% of organisations include age as a pillar in their DEI strategy or include it as a focal point for their employer brand.
Soft signal ageism refers to subtle, often unintentional behaviours, attitudes, and comments that reflect and reinforce ageist stereotypes and prejudices. Unlike overt age discrimination, which is explicit and direct, soft signal ageism is more nuanced and can be harder to identify and address. If more organisations don’t begin to include age discrimination in their DEI strategies, soft ageism, will continue to impact midlife Australian’s ability to find employment and/or add value to their current employer.
Improving employers’ capacity to hire mature workers and overcoming the structural barriers created by limited awareness of age discrimination and conscious as well as unconscious bias, are critical to enable more mature workers to re-enter the workforce or overcome underemployment.
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