'Old' isn't a dirty word, but 'ageism' is
Workplace ageism expert Patti Temple Rocks joins us to discuss how you can identify and eliminate ageism in your organization.
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 made it illegal for companies in the United States to discriminate against workers or applicants over age 40. But despite having this protection in place, the AARP reports two out of three workers between ages 45 and 74 say they’ve witnessed or experienced age discrimination in the workplace. In 2021, the EEOC received just shy of 13,000 charges of age discrimination.
Stereotypes about older workers are prevalent and lead to the premature end of their careers. For example, older people are often assumed to be out-of-touch with current technology, which can hinder job hunting or career progression. However, a report from Pew Research in 2022 showed technological adoption among those over 65 has grown markedly over the last several years, and the gap between older and younger generations in this area is closing. According to their report, 61% of those age 65 and older reported owning a smart phone (up from 46% in 2018) and 45% use social media (up from 37% in 2018).
In this week’s Insurance Speak podcast, we’re joined by workplace ageism expert and author Patti Temple Rocks to discuss how you can pinpoint – and eliminate – ageism in your organization.
Rocks has held senior leadership positions in three different sectors of the communications industry: public relations, advertising and the client side. She served as the chief communications officer for The Dow Chemical Company and chief reputation officer for Leo Burnett Worldwide. She is also an expert in workplace ageism. Her new book, “I’m Still Not Done: It’s Time to Talk About Ageism In the Workplace” delves into this form of discrimination.