Despite recent advances in workplace diversity and inclusion, a new study finds that people who adamantly oppose racism and sexism are not so eager to eliminate ageism at work.
“I wouldn’t go as far as saying they discriminate," says Ashley Martin, an assistant professor of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business. “But even fair-minded people seem to prioritize race and gender over age."
That counterintuitive conclusion appears in a study that Martin recently coauthored with Michael S. Northopen in new window of New York University.
The primary rub among what Martin calls “egalitarian" employees is the concept of succession, which apparently complicates workplace dynamics.
“Succession uniquely targets older individuals," the researchers write, “and differs from other forms of prejudice in which these ‘natural progression’ expectations are not as clear."
Because that can lead to resentment among younger workers, older workers can face prejudice even among those who support other disadvantaged groups. “Thus, egalitarian advocates — or those who are motivated to create equal opportunity for all groups — might actively (and counterintuitively) discriminate against older adults," Martin and North write.
The results, they write, reveal “a uniquely challenging prejudice." Ageism turned out be a difficult prejudice to neutralize, they found, because even fervent anti-prejudice advocates found ways to legitimize the bias.
Martin cites three specific reasons why this is important now, and those reasons involve the changing nature of the workforce as well as the changing nature of jobs.
People are living longer, and therefore retiring later. “Also, with our current uncertain economic climate, older people are actually forced to work longer," she says. “So you have the biggest population in history staying in the workforce longer."
Ageism differs from racism and sexism in that the latter two involve groups that are seen to be historically disadvantaged and who are finally — and rightfully — being allowed into positions of power, Martin says.
“Younger people are trying to push older people out of positions of power before they’re ready to go," she says. “That happens quite often, and we see it embedded in the structure of society in ways that are really interesting and quite problematic."
For example, in what other social category does the calendar dictate when a career is over? “Forced retirement is a pretty explicit form of ageism," Martin says. “We’ve internalized it as natural."
She adds, however, that younger workers tend to be more empathetic when they realize many older workers can’t afford to retire.
Will the day ever come when anti-ageism activists unify in the same way Black Lives Matter and #MeToo activists have done? Martin has her doubts.
“I want to be hopeful and think there will be advocacy around aging issues," she says. “But because other forms of prejudice are considered to be more detrimental than ageism, I’m not sure they’ll coalesce."
First Published: Oct 04, 2021, 10:35
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