Thinking does not respect age. As a result, in his Academy, the Greek philosopher Plato came up with a method of research and work based on “horizontality” – where the distinction between masters and students dissolved, and all members of the institution, considered to be the West’s first university, worked on the same level, bringing their different viewpoints and experiences to the pursuit of a common objective. If, in the institution that gave birth to some of the best thinkers in the history of philosophy, work was done in a way that fostered equality and rewarded different ideas, why not apply the same methodology to today’s office routines?
Twenty-first-century labor relations involve selection processes, optimized curricula, algorithms, interviews, keywords, etc. And, in the middle of all that, a word that acts as a double-edged sword: experience. For older employees, having too much experience can be understood as being synonymous with paralysis. In society, there is also an established belief that, from a certain age, professionals can no longer learn, a prejudice which grows where technological innovation is discussed. Age, and its accompanying difficulties, works against senior professionals. According to a survey by Randstad Research, up to 55% of older people believe their stagnating careers are due to age bias. In this respect, it might seem that only the new has value, but that is only partially true. For young people, lack of experience is another stigma they find difficult to escape. Millennials and Generation Z are especially considered to be non-conformist, unreliable and lacking in commitment.
Does ageism exist in the workplace?
The well-known term “ageism” is different from “gerontophobia” (“fear of older people”) in that it acts like a double-edged sword, affecting both young and older adults alike. Professor Ana Belén Fernández Souto, head of the first Chair in Ageism at Vigo University in Spain, affirmed as much in an interview with Ethic, when she said that ageism is a problem which can affect everyone, although in Europe young people are the most discriminated against. “We can talk about ageism in the workplace,” she explained, “both in terms of first impressions of young people, who suffer from stereotypes like irresponsibility and lack of commitment to work, and also in the 45-55 age range. Ageism is constantly present and all of us are ageist, although sometimes we have good intentions. All of us can suffer ageism at some point in our lives.”
But getting trapped in ageist networks is an error that can cause a lot of harm to companies. In a context in which four generations coincide in the labor market (baby boomers, Generation X, millennials and Gen Z), the continual search for “freshness” can result in the loss of a certain knowledge that is not learned in university, nor can be reflected in a curriculum: we’re talking about the daily, practical problem-solving techniques that work better than any computer systems. On the other hand, those who do not want to take into account the views of junior employees for their lack of experience fall into the same trap, failing to take advantage of young talent and the new perspectives they can offer.
In fact, collaboration between seniors and juniors have very positive effects, according to one report, Inter-generational collaboration: connecting talent for a stronger company by the Seres Foundation. It concludes that the different kinds of knowledge and cosmic worldviews of employees of different ages positively influence “performance, output and retention of intellectual capital, with important benefits such as increased productivity and resilience”.
Communication for all ages
This does not mean we should force employees of different ages to work together, since, if not managed properly, it could cause more friction than intended. Communications or expectations with regard to work are some of the areas of conflict between different generations. The CENIE knowledge hub, set up by Salamanca University’s General Foundation, says open, respectful communications are needed, along with flexibility and shared training, led by diversity experts, if inter-generational work is to function perfectly. If it is managed well, many advantages occur. Reverse mentoring and cross-learning join forces with a greater diversity of viewpoints to help improve the company’s performance and help it reach a wider audience. Psychologist Patricia Fernández adds that the inter-generational friendship which can arise in a collaborative workplace will improve the mental health of employees.
Organizing conviviality between equals, renouncing the idea of “master and student”, as in Plato’s Academy, is the best way to rise to the challenge of a fairer workplace in future, where no one forgets those who have already been contributing for many years to the success of the org