By Baljit Kaur, Innate Consultancy
The pandemic turned the nation into a ‘community of carers’ particularly supporting older people and the vulnerable. Undoubtedly, this was the right thing to do. But was the focus on older people perhaps:
- reinforcing negative stereotypes about older people
- hard-wiring attitudes, language and behaviours around the older generation
- detrimental to developing inclusive cultures in our work environments
Skewed perception of ageing
We already know that there is a skewed perception of ageing:
- ‘The elderly are a burden’
Many view older people as a burden on society, people that disproportionately require public service in the form of healthcare or social services and therefore a drain on resources. It’s very feasible that these attitudes were further hardwired given older people were more susceptible to the Covid-19 virus.
- ‘All older people are vulnerable’
We define a category of people as ‘old’ or ‘elderly’ and therefore ‘vulnerable’ simply by their date of birth or that they are retired or have grandchildren. The backlash from some older people challenged the assumption that age alone should determine an individual’s vulnerability. Such stereotypes can lead to pigeon-holing individuals, limiting their opportunities, and unfairly judging their abilities and potential.
- ‘Growing old is not positive’
The perception that older people are at a greater risk of illness, particularly in the context of Covid-19, indeed contributed to the reinforcement of stigma associated with growing old. Such perceptions will have been internalised by younger individuals, leading to negative views of older adulthood: the prospect of growing old is not necessarily a positive one!
Conclusion
The Covid-19 pandemic has, in certain aspects, contributed to the reinforcement of existing stereotypes about ageing. Yet, older people should not be viewed as a homogeneous group. They have an incredibly varied skill set that can add value to a Diverse Workforce.
In an era where we are ageing as a society and many are choosing to stay on at work for longer, organisations need to consider how these often-hidden biases can inhibit inclusivity.
Ageism is still considered to be an ‘okay’ prejudice – it’s considered okay to make general assumptions about older people simply based on their age (e.g., slow to adapt, take time off sick); it’s okay to make casual jokes about people reaching a certain age!
We need to consider ways that we can deepen inter-generational connectivity, at a time where multi generations are working alongside each other.