Fighting age-discrimination in the workforce

By Atiqur Rahman

People ages 65 and over are estimated to be more than 2 billion by 2050 around the world, affecting every domain of society. The public discourses and popular culture about ageing population have mostly consisted of negative physiognomy indicating a huge care-giver burden, leading to multi-faced age discrimination.

Since the twentieth century, ongoing academic interest in ageing research has been marked by the emergence and complicated dynamisms of age-discrimination in the employment sector. Compared to younger people, older adults eventually face refusal to be hired and are prohibited to do certain work even if they are capable.

Prominent reasons for prevailing discrimination patterns are the overt impact of glocalization, changes in welfare state policy, and different socio-economic conditions of older adults. Pulling the reins of discriminatory practices and enhancing age-friendly approaches and strategies can combat ageism and create a sustainable alternative to age discrimination in the employment sector.

While we cannot avoid the biological consequences of ageing, we can prolong the process through psychosocial motivations. Therefore, young people should not forget ‘ as they are, so will I be; as I am, so once they were.’