RUOK with being ageist?

RUOK day in Australia falls on Thursday 14 September this year.  And so I would like to pose another question.  Are RUOK with being ageist? asks Sue Parker.

It will be a hard question for many in small businesses (and the larger ones also).  And that is a good thing, as ageism impacts men and women’s mental health and needs a difficult reflection.  And the truth is, all of us have biases and illogical beliefs.

The RUOK cause and message is a critical one as it focusses on wellbeing, mental health wellness and suicide prevention.   It is one of the most pressing issues of our times impacting all ages, races and genders.

There will not be a person, small business or recruiter reading this who hasn’t been impacted, directly or indirectly with the devastation of mental health issues.

World Health Organisation Research

The evidence of ageism damage is clear.  The World Health Organisations Report in 2021 Ageism is a global challenge stated:

‘Ageism leads to poorer health, social isolation, earlier deaths and cost economies billions: report calls for swift action to implement effective anti-ageism strategies.’

But there is a piece missing around individuals taking responsibility of the harm of ageism attitudes which all businesses, HR and hiring organisations must address.

And that is asking if people are ok with their own behaviours and attitudes around ageism which cause untold harm and stress to others.

The workplace is a key focus of the RUOK movement to check in with colleagues, friends, networks and staff if they are ok.   Now of course these questions, along with my confrontational one here bear value all year.

Ageism is not linear to any profession or sector.  It’s indeed ubiquitous, but certainly observed in greater levels in certain vocations.

But, what about the tens of thousands of men and women who do not have a job because they are being constantly rejected due to ageism? They are forgotten and suffer greatly from the young under 25 to older over 50s.

AHRI/Human Rights Survey 

The 2023 Employing & Retaining Older Workers Survey is compelling reading for all small and large businesses.  A joint partnership of the Australian HR Institute (AHRI) and the Human Rights Commission, it reported that:

Just over half (56 per cent) of HR professionals say that they are open to recruiting people aged between 50 and 64 “to a large extent”.

At the same time, just under 18% say that they would be open to recruiting from the same age cohort either “to a small extent” or “not at all”.

In comparison, an overwhelming majority of HR professionals say that they are open to hiring from younger labour pools “to a large extent”, including people aged between 35 and 49 (85 per cent) and people aged between 18 and 34 (82 per cent).

Previously in 2021, their surveys found over two-thirds of organisations seldom or never undertake bias training and of those that do, only 50 per cent include age bias’.  This has not moved much, if at all, since.

AHRI CEO Sarah McCann-Bartlett described these attitudes as disappointing, saying organisations are doing themselves a disservice by not considering older workers – particularly at a time when Australia is experiencing historically high levels of job vacancies.

The report also found that the reluctance by some HR professionals to recruit older workers contradicted the lived experience of employing them, with many reporting no difference between older and younger workers in terms of job performance, concentration, ability to adapt to change, energy levels and creativity.

Ageism is the silent bias 

Ageism is the silent bias that is rarely included in DEI policies of businesses and conversations, let alone factored into the aftermath of skilled people who are rejected in the hiring system.

The devastating and emotionally destructive impact of ageism in job seeking and hiring will impact friends, family and colleagues.

It affects both men and women of course, with erosion of self-esteem and self-worth. However, I have observed that men are particularly vulnerable as they try to maintain a stiff upper lip.

I cannot tell you how many skilled men I’ve spoken to over 55 who are so disheartened with depression because of years-long ageism.

It can be evidenced all around, for example, in:  

• The best friend who cannot face another dismissive rejection.
• The parent who is feeling depressed due to not being able to get interviews because they are over 50 and feel they cannot support their family.
• The spouse who is being discriminated against unfairly and feels so demoralised
• The son or daughter under 25 who faces rejection without any kindness
• The ex-colleague who was given an unwanted redundancy at 55 and cannot get back into another job.
• The uncle or aunt who, despite decades of study and experience, is treated like a second-class citizen.
• The single woman over 55 who cannot survive on super and needs to work.  She faces a mix of biases with her age and gender, which causes great angst on every level.
• The whippet smart executive who keeps getting rejected is being told they are overqualified which is code for ‘we don’t hire your age’. Nothing to do with the role.
• The young university graduate who feels cultural pressure to work but cannot get a chance
• Even the recruiter and hiring managers own family and friends who are depressed and on the brink.

Close to home reflection

And I evidenced ageism first-hand back in 1971 when my father was made redundant at 46 years.  For three years, he struggled to find another senior executive role in his field due to his age.

In an era when 95 per cent of men applied for such roles, ageism was alive and kicking.  I recall his frustration and despondency as he kept getting knocked back for his age.

Alas, there hasn’t been much change over the decades despite all the policies and legislation.  Ageism is alive and kicking, albeit it is sometimes more covert.

Witnessing my father’s situation and its impact on my life and family fostered a lifelong quest to knock out illogical ageism whenever I saw it.   It instilled my determination to never judge anyone by age and only by who they are and what they can offer.

So again, RUOK with ageist beliefs or attitudes.  And when you witness it, call it out.   Dig deep, and let’s all support staff, businesses and communities better.

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