It’s against the law for employers to discriminate based on age.
Despite this, the Workplace Relations Commission received 176 complaints in 2023 from employees who said they had faced ageism at work.
This is a notable reduction of 66 per cent from the figure for 2022, when 514 people complained.
It’s too early to see if this decline will be sustained in the years to come, but what is the impact of ageism at work, and can an intergenerational workforce lead to better outcomes for companies?
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“Age discrimination is rife,” says Dr Mary Collins, a chartered psychologist who completed her PhD on the intergenerational workplace.
“You won’t see it written down, and it can be conscious or unconscious. It is the forgotten child of equality, diversity and inclusion, because we forget the importance of welcoming people from different life stages and generations.”
At Trinity College Dublin, Dr Catherine Elliott O’Dare has also been carrying out research on intergenerational workplaces as well as, more broadly, intergenerational friendships.
“It can seem like an abstract notion, but when I speak to people in everyday life, they say that friendships between different generations are both beneficial and enjoyable,” she says.
“Today, people are living and working longer, so a multigenerational workplace is becoming more and more normal.”
Collins says there are significant advantages to having a workforce with diverse age groups.
“The first is having older workers to share their wisdom, experience and mentorship, because different stages of life bring different perspectives.
“Then, if you think of a product or service being sold it is, in many cases, to a multigenerational customer base.
“An inclusive workplace also improves retention and boosts morale. It is more enjoyable for people to work with diversity.”
Elliott O’Dare says the multigenerational workforce is more productive because workers of all ages bring different skills and knowledge.
“For instance, younger workers may have good technical and innovative skills while, in business circles, people speak of ‘organisational memory’ – this refers to workers who have seen it all and can deploy their expertise and experience for the company’s benefit.
“These are complementary skills that lead to a positive workplace, and we know that employees value it,” Elliott O’Dare says.
With all this in mind, where is age discrimination coming from?
“There is a lot of stereotyping around age,” says Collins.
“For instance, it can be assumed that younger workers will be more tech-savvy, but that is often not the case.
“There are many misconceptions about older people, such as that they are cruising to retirement, or that they lack innovation and drive.
“But older workers will say that they have never felt more comfortable in their own skin, that they are confident, keen to contribute and make an impact, and more than willing to learn. Because they don’t have the pressure of childcare any more, they may have more space to give to their career,” Collins says.
Although the benefits of an age mix at work far outweigh the negatives, there can still be potential for conflict.
“Different generations have different communication preferences,” says Collins.
“Generation Z don’t like to answer the phone, but baby boomers prefer more face-to-face contact.
“There can also be differences in how the generations like to be led and managed. Older workers are more comfortable with hierarchies and earning their stripes. Younger workers, however, prefer to work with you rather than for you, and don’t like the notion of command and control.
“With this in mind, how an employer gives feedback to a 24-year-old and a 44-year-old should be different, so they need to flex and adapt depending on who is in front of them.”
Across the western world, an ageing population has led to political conflict around retirement age: the issue played heavily in Ireland’s 2020 general election and was seen as a factor in the Sinn Féin surge, where the party campaigned on a platform of restoring eligibility for the State pension at the age of 65
Different generations often have different learning preferences, too.
“The younger generations prefer micro-learning and embracing technology,” says Collins.
“The older generation may happily go for a three-day programme or course. Again, it comes back to varying the approach.”
Elliott O’Dare says research indicates that the benefits of intergenerational solidarity far outweigh any negatives, perceived or otherwise.
“The younger generations value the skills and mentoring of older workers, and older workers want to stay socially engaged. Intergenerational friendships are the biggest buffer against ageism. It’s important to point out, of course, that ageism can be experienced by people of all ages, but the more we spend quality time with people of different age groups the more we see that we’ve much more in common than our differences,” she says.
Across the western world, an ageing population has led to political conflict around retirement age: the issue played heavily in Ireland’s 2020 general election and was seen as a factor in the Sinn Féin surge, where the party campaigned on a platform of restoring eligibility for the State pension at the age of 65. In France, proposed changes to pensions by President Emmanuel Macron have proven wildly unpopular.
Working with UCD professor of social policy Dr Micheál Collins, Elliott O’Dare carried out research on low-paid workers over the age of 50.
“It highlighted that financial commitments are a key concern for people over 60, but it also showed that many enjoyed spending time in the workplace, had a strong work ethic and wanted to continue to work.
“For older workers on lower pay, in particular, many of them told us that they could not afford to retire. But the key is that people should have a choice, and it is a human rights issue. Older people should not be forced to retire.”
Thomas O’Keeffe, who works as marketing manager at Hall Recruitment, says they work with employers who want experienced candidates.
In 2022, the recruiter surveyed the public about their attitudes to older workers, and found that 70 per cent of those surveyed believed employers would prefer to hire younger candidates.
“For us, we recommend people for roles based on experience, and age is not a factor: we put the best candidate forward. Diversity, including intergenerational diversity, is a big positive,” O’Keeffe says.
LinkedIn’s wisdom employee resource group
In recent years, many firms have set up dedicated employee resource groups for staff to come together based on shared characteristics including gender, ethnicity and sexuality.
One of the newest is LinkedIn’s Wisdom employee resource group (ERG), established in 2023 to bring together workers aged 40 or older and their allies across LinkedIn.
Erica Firmo, head of communications for LinkedIn UK and Ireland, says the group promotes understanding, belonging and community-building, emphasising the value of diverse age groups working together.
“The response has been highly positive, with events like panel discussions, ‘fast-friend’ sessions and workshops receiving strong engagement,” Firmo says.
“Employees appreciated the opportunities to connect across age groups, rethink preconceptions about older workers, and share their personal experiences in a welcoming environment.
“It has helped to foster inclusivity and belonging, creating opportunities for employees to learn from each other regardless of age. It has also promoted cross-generational understanding and collaboration.
“Other companies can learn the importance of creating a space for age diversity and how to integrate it with other aspects of diversity, like gender and sexual orientation.
“Fostering cross-generational relationships, creating inclusive meetings and encouraging employees to pursue personal growth are all key takeaways for organisations looking to build a more inclusive workforce,” Firmo says.