Of all the differences between people that can strengthen a workforce, one that’s often added last to the list is age.
This applies to both older and younger workers. An experienced Generation X employee in her early 50s and a 22-year-old recent college graduate from Generation Z both add value to an organization. But either one can face age-related discrimination.
Ageism is something every organization should make a priority, especially in light of the current makeup of the workforce. Many Baby Boomers now work into their 70s and even 80s. At the same time, Millennials have entered their prime earning years and the first wave of Gen Z is entering the workforce. Today’s managers oversee a multigenerational workforce that includes five distinct generations:
