Age discrimination in the workplace is the major challenge of the employment world in Canada. Three out of five aged people reported discrimination, stereotyping, and prejudice based on their age, and this phenomenon is well-known as Ageism.

The low fertility rate and increasing rate of life expectancy in Canada have created a significant issue. Younger talent isn't replacing the job left by retired people. Thereby, the talent gap is quite evident. Employers find it hard to replace retired positions as finding the best person for the job has become pretty tricky. 

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Today, I plan to unlock details of age discrimination in the workplace faced by older people. Besides, I will share some suggestions that let employers deal with this increasing issue in the corporate world tactfully. Let's get started.

Understand Situations of AGE DISCRIMINATION at Workplace 

Here are some everyday situations older people encounter in the workplace on the basis of Ageism.

NO MORE TRAINING

Many older people openly accept the fact that their employers don't send them for advanced training. They believe that these people can't get the technology and don't have what it takes to work with the dynamic world of social media. 

Is it fair? Of course not. If you do that, you are giving up on a talent that can learn better. Both young and old employees should have equal rights to employment-related training.

NO MORE  RETAINING

Old age people feel bad when they don't get promoted only because their retirement age is coming soon. Employers don't delay their retirements. Instead, they want to do it early. They don't understand their loyalty and experience- this sort of stereotyping causes many troubles in the employment field. 

NO MORE ADVERTISING 

Another major issue is that recruiters don't target older people for new job posts. When they put new jobs online, they specifically skip the age group.  There is a need to understand that people from the same age group don't act the same. What about those who have invested time and money in learning new skills? What if they are top tech-savvy? Are they not worth giving a chance of employment?

If a recruiter becomes an equal opportunity employer, then he can earn a good reputation in the general public. Young people bring energy while older ones have experienced. This combination and diversity can bring more value to a company as a whole. 

So, the recruiter should talk about this matter and let the Employer understand the actual worth of older people on board.

NOW MORE HIRING

People over 45 years old can't find part-time jobs in Canada. Recruiters believe that they won't bring the energy needed to perform the job. They hire young and talented people and skip old talented ones. Is this the right approach?

The basic idea behind recruitment is to "Choose RIGHT PERSON for the RIGHT JOB." There is no need to ignore talented people on an ageism basis. The job of a recruiter is to hire the best talent. An objective perspective can go a long way for a company's success. 

How to Combat Ageism in the Workplace?

Here are some ways through which Employer can avoid age discrimination at the workplace.

Awareness Campaigns

Social media has its power. Today, you don't have to arrange a physical campaign. Start a thread online and talk that you are an equal opportunity employer who doesn't care about age but talent.

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Hashtags like SAY NO to AGEISM or NO MORE AGE Discrimination can spread like wildfire and bring a change you always wanted. 

As an employer, you can use Ageism as your competitive advantage. You can attract better talent by mentioning jobs without age specifications.

 Share diverse work culture picture with benefits on social media and provoke others to do the same. This proactive approach would undoubtedly help employers in Canada to Combat Ageism in Workplace.

Occupational Health and Safety Initiative

Another way to deal with Ageism is to start taking health initiatives for older people in the corporate world. Enroll for senior insurance as a group plan and make people think that you understand their worth and are ready to go above and beyond to keep the best talent where it belongs.

Offer Training

Employers should offer training to all workers despite their age. If they provide equal training chance, no one will feel ostracism or discrimination. It's your way of saying that you want to retain older adults and are interested in boosting their skillsets.

Flexible Application Requirements

An employer should ask an applicant that he/she doesn't have to state the age for the record. This way, an applicant will feel encouraged that the Employer has a sole concern with the talent, not with his age. You can gather plenty of the right talent through this method. 

Adaptive Measures

It would be best if you changed your workplace where you need to make older people welcoming. Remember that older people have experience and talent. Younger people will look at them with respect and don't mind learning from them. If you present them as mentors, your work environment will improve. Break stereotypes based on the age factor; embrace older people in your workplace to gain lucrative benefits.

When it comes to professional development and succession planning, it’s vital for an employer never to overlook old workers. They should be promoted, and your plans must include them.

Are you Facing Age Discrimination in Canada at the workplace? Know What to do.

If during an interview, you hear such comments or words "We are looking for fresh talent.", "We need more energy." etc., then it's clear that employers are discriminating on an age basis. You can also report that company as per Human Rights ACT 2010.

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Do you feel discriminated against at the workplace due to your age? Maybe your Employer denied training or promotion just because you are older. In that case, you should know that age discrimination at the workplace in Canada is illegal, and you have all rights to take some legal action against your Employer. You can report this matter to the organization. This matter can be taken to courts, your provincial or territorial human rights agency, in severe cases.