Why Ageism Should Not Exist In The Mind Of An Employer

In today's society, we are often judged by our age. Advertisers routinely target adults age 25 to 44 for their products. Music companies often cater to teenagers and young adults. Young people sometimes think they are not taken seriously, while some senior citizens believe that they are being overlooked.

There is no doubt that ageism exists in our society especially in the world of business. However, ageism simply should not exist in the mind of an employer. If you believe that your organization is being hindered by ageism, it is important that you try to put an end to it. There are many reasons why ageism is detrimental to an organization.

It penalizes the experienced candidate

When ageism is at work within a company, experienced job applicants are often penalized. If a prospective employee lists 20 years of experience on his or her resume, some managers might jump to the conclusion that he or she is too old for a particular job. This kind of thinking can really hurt a company.

There is, quite frankly, no substitute for experience. Experience teaches us not only what to do but what not to do. Therefore, an experienced candidate may help your company avoid a number of problems. He or she may also exhibit a type of wisdom that is a rare find in today's society. You owe it to your company not to count a person out just because of his or her age.

It sets the stage for discrimination

Ageism can easily set the stage for further discrimination. If you can discriminate against a job applicant simply because of his or her age, what's to prevent you from discriminating against a prospective employee because of other factors?

A discriminatory culture can easily develop within your organization if you hire employees solely from one particular age cohort. As a result, you may soon find that you are ill equipped to deal with the needs of older clients and customers. In the end, the situation could adversely affect your bottom line.

Jobs could go vacant

Unfortunately, there may simply not be enough young people to fill your employee roster. If you rule out hiring older workers, you may find yourself with a number of vacant positions. The vacancy rate could cause your business to become less productive.

Older workers are good workers

Research indicates that older workers are, in fact, good workers. They may be more responsible, more conscientious, and more willing to work long hours than younger workers. They may also be more loyal to the company and less likely to switch jobs.

A number of employers assume that older workers will cost them more, in terms of insurance rates and lost productivity due to time off. But the real-life experience of a number of company managers indicates that older workers can be just as healthy as younger workers and may be even less likely to miss work than their younger counterparts.

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