Ageism in the Workplace: A Deeply Ingrained Prejudice

Ageism in the workplace is a prevalent and often ignored form of discrimination. Many economies exhibit more entrenched ageism than other familiar types of discrimination. Ageism extends to political debates, as noted in the US where concerns about the age of presidential candidates such as Joe Biden are raised. Age discrimination, often seen as the last socially acceptable form of prejudice, impacts older workers' employment prospects and leads to extended unemployment. Stereotypes about older workers, such as being technologically incapable or less productive, have been disproven, yet persist. Evidence shows age discrimination is the most prevalent form of discrimination, even outranking sexism and racism globally.