Ageism is so baked into our culture, it often doesn’t register until you start paying attention to what you and others casually say about growing older and older people.
But at some point, you’re likely to feel its effects. And often that will be at work (or while looking for work) past age 50.
The data shows that once you’re over 50, odds are the decision to leave your job won’t be yours. Although age discrimination is illegal, companies use layoffs and coerced “early retirement” to shed themselves of older employees.
This must change, given the perpetual labor shortage employers are facing. Plus, older people want to keep working due to longer, healthier lives and the changing reality of retirement.
But in certain industries, it gets late for you much earlier. We’ve explored how a fascination with young people hurts the world of advertising, and the same is true for the technology sector.
How early? Try 40. And that’s just ridiculous given that successful advertising and product development will require input from older people in order to succeed.
For the tech world, that’s where Maureen Clough comes in. She’s an “elder Millennial” who is bringing awareness and insight to both technology companies and the general population about the folly of ageism in a time when our society (and the majority of wealth) is shifting older.
Tune in to hear:
Maureen’s background – from journalism to tech, and how her experiences in both led to the work she’s doing now.
Why ageism continues to be the one -ism that our society seems okay with, and why the lack of maliciousness may actually be worse.
Maureen’s motivation for launching It Gets Late Early – her podcast that seeks to bring awareness (and ultimately solutions) to ageism in tech.
Examples of the terms used in tech job descriptions that betray the industry’s bias towards younger workers.
Why it will be economic imperatives, not altruistic ideals, that actually change things.
Examples of tools being built for removing bias from the hiring process.
The potential benefits of rethinking how older workers and younger workers are blended together inside companies – especially when it comes to mentorship.
The natural effects of having so many younger employees at advertising and tech companies, and why so many of those effects are negative for older adults.
The economic value of having real empathy for older adults.
The reality behind the stats regarding most successful tech entrepreneurial endeavors being started by people age 45 and up.
The misconceptions surrounding older workers’ productivity, especially in the age of AI.
Links:
Fighting Ageism in the Tech Industry with Maureen Clough