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Human resources

Is my workplace being ageist? Ask HR

Johnny C. Taylor Jr.
Special to USA TODAY
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act forbids discrimination against employees 40 and older.

Johnny C. Taylor Jr., a human resources expert, is tackling your questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, the world's largest HR professional society.

The questions are submitted by readers, and Taylor's answers below have been edited for length and clarity.

Have a question? Do you have an HR or work-related question you’d like me to answer? Submit it here.

Question: A co-worker of mine started on the same day as I. Throughout our career with this company, I have been written up for being too slow while she gets promoted. I'm in my late 50s while my co-worker is in her late 20s. I have been a manager before while this co-worker has never been. Could this be because they don't want older people to move up in this company? – Anonymous

Johnny C. Taylor Jr.: Thanks for highlighting a question that many people want to ask but often keep to themselves. Today, older workers are better educated and living longer than any previous generation. They are also remaining in the workforce longer. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 25%of the workforce will be over 55 by 2024.

However, discrimination and unfair, outdated assumptions can make some work environments difficult for many older, experienced employees.

I want to be clear: Age discrimination in the workplace is unacceptable. In fact, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act forbids discrimination against employees 40 and older. This could include jokes about their age or offensive and derogatory comments that may be demeaning or threatening.

It’s hard to comment without knowing all the details, but before you speak to your manager and HR, I encourage you to take a step back and consider if your situation is truly because of your age, or if it’s performance-related. Ask yourself: Am I achieving my goals? Do I meet deadlines or often work after hours to finish tasks? How does my productivity compare to others in the same position?

If you remain concerned about the situation after considering these questions, my advice is to have a conversation with your manager. Discuss your goals and performance. In what areas are you doing well, and what areas can you improve? Be respectful but transparent, and open to constructive feedback.

I say this because if you do go to HR with your concerns, it's best to be prepared with details, examples and facts. Taking your entire situation into consideration, they could find that you are experiencing discrimination due to your age or that this is purely a performance-related issue.

Again, while I can’t speak to the specifics, it’s also possible your colleague who got promoted may possess a unique skill set that meets a specific organizational need. While having previous management experience is incredibly important, it might not be what your employer is looking for when they evaluate candidates for promotion.

If you truly believe the decision not to promote you is due to your age, you can talk to HR. They can help determine whether or not you are being treated unfairly because of your age, but at the same time may suggest some time management tools and additional training to keep you on track to meet your goals and improve your company’s bottom line.

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Q: 2020 has seen the workplace turn on its axis – from COVID-19, to an economic crisis, to social issues. All of these have impacted the workplace and the workforce. What would you say are the biggest changes you've seen in this year, and what do you foresee in 2021? – Anonymous

Taylor We won’t forget 2020. From a public health crisis, to an economic downturn, to social justice issues, it has been a year that turned both the workplace and the world upside down. 

Looking back on this year, there has been a clear paradigm shift in the way we work –and the changes we’ve made haven’t been easy. Our jobs and our personal lives were disrupted, almost overnight.

Many businesses closed, and companies that remained open had to pivot, adapt, and innovate to ensure the safety of their employees and customers while protecting the business. Additionally, more than 70% of employers told us they struggled to adjust to a remote workforce, and one-third faced difficulties with company culture and productivity.

The changes I’ve seen this year have been physical – a drastic increase in remote and flexible work policies, physical barriers in the workplace to ensure social distancing, and required personal protective equipment. But these changes have also affected workplace practices and policies. Eighty-three percent of employers made business practice adjustments, and 1 in 5 small business owners asked their employees to learn new skills to support changes in their business model.

In June, social justice became a focal point in the workplace after the killing of George Floyd. For too long, we were socialized not to talk about race, politics, or religion at work. But in 2020, we saw organizations fostering much-needed conversations in the workplace on racial equity and how to build stronger, more inclusive work environments.

I also want to take a moment to point out the silver linings of this year. For one, the resiliency I’ve seen from HR professionals cannot be overstated. Nearly the entire workforce had to rethink and retool business practices – tailoring benefits and adjusting to the unique needs of a changing workplace.

We also saw a greater focus on employee mental health, including access to telemedicine, wellness programs for stress management, and expanded employee assistance programs – tackling a stigma that has permeated the workplace for years.

What’s ahead for 2021? It’s hard to know what the future holds, but what I can tell you is that HR leaders have been quarterbacking these unprecedented changes at work. Their role will likely grow and continue to be invaluable next year and beyond.

Additionally, investing in talent will remain a top priority for employers. Remote work, in a way, has made accessing top talent easier, as organizations can hire applicants from virtually anywhere. But as businesses reopen and grow, we can’t forget the importance of promoting employment opportunities for workers in untapped talent pools, such as veterans, those with criminal records and individuals with disabilities.

From the questions I’ve been getting from readers this year, building healthier and more inclusive cultures is top of mind. When you break it down, culture affects all parts of work – from boosting morale in difficult times to equipping employees with the resources they need to successfully do their jobs.

As we think about what we want to accomplish at work in 2021, here’s my two cents: Focus on culture and people management and helping employees grow and flourish. Making culture a central pillar of the workplace is a surefire way to help employees thrive and improve a company’s bottom line.

Happy New Year! 

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