24 Aug Learning to address reverse ageism in the workplace
When we think about ageism in the workplace, we may often think about the prejudice or discrimination faced by older colleagues rather than younger. We may witness spoken or unspoken assumptions of their abilities, experience, qualifications, or relevance. Or worse … disparaging comments about their age and how that can impact their role or responsibilities, including possibilities for advancement.
The truth is, ageism can also take on a reverse form. Younger colleagues may encounter the same spoken or unspoken assumptions, and be challenged on their roles and responsibilities, not based on their work experience, education or qualifications, but simply their age. They may have to fight a bit harder to prove their worth and combat the feeling of being an imposter when others continuously challenge their success.
There was a period of time when all I would see online were comments about millennials in the workplace. Assumption after assumption was issued publicly on an entire age group — a rather large age group in and of itself, aging from the mid-1990s to early 2000s (with 1981 to 1996 a widely accepted defining range for the generation).
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The internet is filled with articles and comments like those outlined above. Luckily, it is also filled with the reality that an entire generation should not be painted from the same brush. The same truth holds true for any generation.
Millennials are often portrayed as apathetic, disinterested, tuned out and selfish. None of those adjectives describe the Millennials I’ve been privileged to meet and work with. — Chelsea Clinton
I am 31 years old, and often times when I consider my own life against society’s expectations of where I should be … I feel old. And yet, to many in the workplace I still seem very young.
After graduating from university, my focus was on my career and professional development. I focused on gaining the on the job experiences needed to master new skills and complimented that by furthering my education. I often felt that experience alone wasn’t enough to justify my place or position in an organization, that I somehow also needed a piece of paper from an institution to say: “yes … she belongs, she has the experience, she has the knowledge, etc…” Maybe I felt this way because I was young, or maybe I felt this way as women often struggle with having to prove why they deserve a seat at the table.
In any case, I always felt like I had to do more, take on more, stay late, etc. to stand out and prove my worth.
Now, six+ years into my federal public service career, with experience ranging from analyst, to senior advisor, and manager, and from line departments (operational organizations) to central agency (challenge function in government), I somewhat feel less like an imposter and more pride in how far I’ve come and how hard I worked to get here.
Unlike the private sector, the federal public service also has a clear classification system to support hiring and advancement within the Government of Canada, ensuring employees competing for advancement meet the experience, education and qualifications needed to do the job they are applying for. Though this system has its pros and cons, it helps to reiterate someone’s ability to advance.
And yet, despite all these truths, I and many others still face reverse ageism in the workplace. Sometimes it can be a subtle comment, other times a little more direct. In each scenario, however, it undermines your place in the organization and makes you feel small. It makes you feel like for some reason you did something wrong despite working so hard to get to where you are.
That’s something important that’s worth pausing to reflect on. We all take different paths to get to where we need to go, or where we end up. As a result, we may land in the same position despite our different journeys, or land higher or lower in the hierarchy to the organizations in which we join. That shouldn’t be a reason to judge or discriminate against someone else‘s career path. We aren’t competing against each other, and shouldn’t compare ourselves to one another. Even if you are young and just starting out in your career, you shouldn’t let the perceptions of your youth prevent you from highlighting your potential and knowledge. In no way does your age prevent you from also seeking a seat at the table and having your voice heard.
So, how do we then stop reverse ageism in the workplace?
Do not be a bystander. If you hear a comment or see an action that subtly or directly, unintentionally or intentionally, expresses a prejudice or discrimination against an age group … call it out.
Do not make assumptions. The worst thing you can do is assume something about someone you do not know. If you don’t know someone, but are interested in understanding how they got to where they are in their career, set up a coffee and get to know them. You might be surprised at how much you can learn from them.
Take age out of the equation. It shouldn’t matter how old your manager or team members are. At the end of the day, you are a team, working collectively to deliver on shared goals and outcomes. That’s what matters most, not the age or even the title.
Speak openly and honestly. If there is some underlying tension in your team, and maybe this reaches beyond age, it’s important to simply have a conversation. Understand where the other person is coming from, try to address the issue, and work together to move past it.
Most importantly, don’t reinforce false perceptions. We should all be working towards being part of the solution rather than part of the prejudice or discrimination that can leave a colleague feeling negative about themselves, their team, or even organization.
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