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Ageism in Corporate America

In: Business and Management

Submitted By darre11a
Words 1020
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Ageism in Corporate America
Term Paper
October 11, 2011

Ageism in Corporate America 1 Ageism is discrimination against any person based on their age; specifically against the elderly. I would like to focus on ageism in corporate America and the effects on Baby Boomers , Generation x, and Generation y. Today ageism is alive and well in corporate America. It seems the older workers or the baby boomers are effected the most. At the other end of the spectrum you have Generation y fresh out of college with no experience effected by the economy. The whole spectrum of ages are greatly effected in todays economy. We are seeing more and more of generation mixing in corporate america. You have the Baby Boomers who have been with a company for twenty plus years who still writes hand written letters sitting next to Generation y ,who are extremly tech savvy and fresh to the company. Then you have Generation x (ages 29- 42) who is familiar with communications, media and digital technologies and are also feeling the affects of ageism in corporate America. Baby Boomers are the fifty year olds and up in corporate America, born usually from 1946- 1964. They are considered the fastest growing group in the workforce today. Lets face it, we are a country obsessed with youth and vitality, how are Baby Boomers who are more wise and experienced going to compete. Ageism is a huge threat for the Baby Boomers today. “According to a survey by Connecticut-based recruiter ExecuNet, nearly three-quarters of executives in the U.S. are concerned they will be discriminated against on the basis of their age and almost six out of 10 believe their age has disqualified them as a candidate for opportunities in the past.” (Amble, B.) Stereotyping older Americans seems to be tolerated in the workplace and its time corporate America becomes aware and proactive towards its demise. Many companies have become stereotypical with the idea older co-workers won't last as long, they get old

Ageism in Corporate America 2

hence they get sick more often, they are unwilling to try anything new, cannot understand technology, and cannot pull there own weight. This is discrimination. “The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) reports that age discrimination claims are on the rise -- with workers over 50 saying they're having a harder time finding full-time work than their younger counterparts. While this surge in claims in large part can be explained by the sheer numbers of older workers (as well as their tendency to be more aware of their rights -- and litigious -- than previous generations of older workers), AARP still sees blatant cases of age discrimination, such as an executive search firm that screened out candidates over 45.” (Lorenz, K) Are Baby Boomers getting hired in 2010? Unfortunately the trend is a very unlikely “no”, the younger Generation y is moving in. Its a cut throat market these days and its a definate struggle for the Baby Boomers. “Despite how far businesses have come in creating a fair and diversified workplace, there is still age discrimination. This is especially true of individuals trying to start a second career or making a career change later in life. How you look can be a factor, though an unspoken one, in whether you are hired or not.” (Gerber, C) When are Baby Boomers discriminated against in the workplace? When they are looking for a job and they get a response like “they are looking for someone straight of school, in their twenties or thirties”, when there are layoffs and a larger amount of “older” employees are affected, you are demoted and your work is transferred to a “younger” co-worker, they are harassed on the job, or your benefits are reduced compared to the “younger” employees. If this is happening they should record any issues that may arise, consider making a formal complaint with your manager, or contact a lawyer. Generation x were born out of the shadows of the Baby Boomers dating around Ageism in Corporate America 3

1965 to 1976. They are considered to be self-reliant/ independent, diverse, the “latch key” kids and PC savvy. Has ageism hit the Generation x group in the 21st century? I am part of the Generation x group and I feel ageism is very real and alive in the workforce today. After closing my business after fifteen years it was very difficult for me to get a job not even what I would call a career job for myself. According to the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), passed in 1967 states, “It shall be unlawful for an employer to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual’s age.” (Cullinane, J) Today younger employees, the Generation x workers are probably experiencing career slump due to the Baby Boomers becoming reluctant to retire. In return, I believe the Generation xers tend to job hop. Why are these employees looking elsewhere? Are they unhappy with their jobs? “Gen X is driven by change. Independent and risk takers, Gen X is willing to take many more chances than those who came before, including leaving a “good job” to move on to the next thing.” (Sharp, K) They tend to seek jobs that able them to balance life and work.

Resources

Amble, B. (June 2006) Grey ceiling remains an obstacle for corporate leaders. Retrieved from http://www.management-issues.com/2006/8/24/research/grey-ceiling-remains- an-obstacle-for-corporate-leaders.asp

Lorenz, K. (February 2008) Ageism on the job. Retrieved from http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-618-The-Workplace-Ageism-on-the-Job/

Gerber, C. Baby boomers in the workplace. Retrieved from http://seniors.lovetoknow.com/Baby_Boomers_in_the_Workplace

Cullinane, J. (March 2008) Age discrimination at work. Retrieved from http://www.letlifein.com/2008/03/10/ageism-in-the-workplace/

Sharp, K. (November 2009) Keeping generation x on the job. Retrieved from http://www.suite101.com/content/keeping-gen-x-with-the-company-a171347

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