This is in continuation of my previous article. https://techhiringblog-rezoomex.com/2018/03/16/ageism-its-tough-being-elderly-in-tech-industry/#more-3003
Here is the other side of the story.
Age discrimination is often thought of as a problem for older workers, but does it also affect younger workers?
Do not think that the young escape age-related bias.
Lately, People have certain beliefs and generalizations about millennials due to which they are dampening the hunger for employing younger individuals in the tech industry. Actually age discrimination also affects younger employees, however in different ways. It tends to affect both the young and the oldest individuals from the workforce. As indicated by the generalizations, the present young employees are Immature, lethargic, entitled, spoiled, amateur and lacking in relational abilities. The fact is millennials are young workers right now (However some now are in their 30s and aren’t all that young anymore) significant number of similar things were said in regards to age X around 20 years ago.
While we know not everyone is against millennials (many organizations actually go out of their way to attract, hire, retain and promote workers belonging to this cohort), more than a handful of hiring managers and even some employers in general, believe the negative stereotypes and tend not to hire millennials as a result. That’s a real problem given the challenges faced by younger workers relating to unemployment and underemployment.
It is hardly surprising so many young people these days are having such a difficult time launching their lives and careers and end up with jobs they did not anticipate to begin with. When so-called entry level jobs require five years of experience and so many young people are stuck in dead end jobs or a string of unpaid internships, it’s no wonder we aren’t seeing millennials enjoy the trappings of success and adulthood in their 20s like the previous generations.
I also believe employers should be more tolerant of the style and mannerisms of young people and realize some of those things are based on current trends and will change as younger workers learn more about organizational rules, norms and values and become better acquainted with workplace etiquette.
Studies have shown that the productivity of both older and younger workers is higher in companies that have mixed-age work teams than in companies that do not, it heightens performance in groups that must undertake complex decision-making tasks. Tackling ageism will require a new understanding of ageing by all generations. This understanding needs to counter outdated concepts of older people as burdens, and acknowledge the wide diversity of the experience of older age, the inequities of ageism, and demonstrate a willingness to ask how society might organize itself better.
The negative impacts of ageism is seen in considerable domains and fields but we have a responsibility as the Tech Industry is one of the most impacted Industries by Ageism.
There are several companies that go above and beyond to make the workplace inclusive of all ages. AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) is one of those companies that have initiated to bring about a revolutionary change. They have partnered with companies and communities to create new solutions that work for all at any age. These companies can be of example to us for getting new ideas and solutions as to how we can create a more comfortable environment and make older feel less insecure about their jobs. These are a few ideas to foster an intergenerational workplace:
- Reaching out to the HR or your manager to see about starting a mentoring program. There could be a variety of mentoring match-ups to pass valuable knowledge to younger employees.
- The next time you’re asked to work on a project, be sure at least one older colleague is on the team.
- For older employees, Raise your hand and ask to be considered for workplace education and training programs to keep your skills sharp. Companies can provide On-going learning opportunities to increase their productivity and overall employability.
It is quintessential for companies to realize that when the diversity of thought is looked upon positively, it can bring the most wonderful and brilliant outcomes for the company’s growth and utilize all the different ways of thinking to its full potential as well. I believe open mindedness, moderation and balance is necessary to be put into practice within companies to bring a positive reform and work in harmony.
Thank You!
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With an overall experience of more than 2 years, Justina specializes in technical recruitment. Currently she is working as a recruitment specialist at Rezoomex.
Justina is passionate about football and in her spare time she likes to listen to various genres of music, reading fiction and is an avid traveller.