Ageism in the Workplace: The Hidden Bias Costing You Top Talent
- Martin Hill
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
By 2030, one in five individuals in developed economies will be aged 60 or older. Yet despite this demographic shift, age remains one of the least addressed dimensions of workplace diversity. A 2023 AARP report revealed that 64% of workers over 50 have experienced or witnessed age-based discrimination, a trend that continues to escalate across industries. (AARP)
While organisations continue investing in talent acquisition, upskilling, and DEI, one critical blind spot remains: ageism in the workplace. It often operates quietly, embedded in assumptions, promotion decisions, and untapped potential, yet its impact is anything but subtle.
Ageism In the Workplace is Quiet, But Costly
Ageism is rarely deliberate. It’s rarely discussed. It’s almost never acknowledged in strategic meetings. Yet it manifests in common leadership behaviours:
Prioritising “cultural fit” over capability
Equating ambition with youth
Assuming digital fluency correlates with age
We applaud “diversity of thought,” but unconsciously restrict that diversity to professionals under 40. We value experience, until someone has too much of it. The irony is clear: the very capabilities leaders seek in turbulent markets, resilience, judgment and strategic foresight are built over time, not downloaded from a webinar.
Companies Don’t Have a Talent Shortage. They Have an Ageism Problem.
Ageism not only affects individual morale, it undermines long term business performance. When seasoned talent is undervalued, they disengage. When they're overlooked for growth, they exit. And when they leave, they take decades of institutional knowledge, client relationships, and unspoken influence with them.
The solution is not a new program, it’s a leadership mindset shift. Here are seven practical strategies that high performing organisations use to confront ageism and fully leverage the value of experienced talent.
1. Promote Based on Impact, Not “Potential”
A frequent leadership pitfall is defaulting to “future potential” as a promotion filter, often a euphemism for youth. The reality is that the average tenure future potential under 30 is two years. Better metric: Current business impact.
Action: Reframe promotion discussions to focus on current results and cross functional influence. During talent reviews, ask: “What have they delivered that moved the business forward?” rather than “How long might they stay?”
2. Include Experienced Talent in High Potential Pipelines
Organisations often default older employees into mentoring roles, valuable, but limiting when it’s their only opportunity. Growth pathways shouldn’t end at 45.
Action: Include seasoned professionals in leadership development programs if they demonstrate influence, adaptability, and results. Ask them directly: “What would growth or reinvention look like for you?” to shape their next leadership move.
3. Assign Digital & Innovation Projects Across Generations
The assumption that older employees resist digital tools is not evidence based. Often, they’ve simply not been given the access or support.
Action: Form mixed experience project teams for tech and innovation initiatives. Pair deep domain knowledge with digital fluency and provide onboarding for any new tools. Their experience will help you move faster, not slower.
4. Recognise That Ambition Doesn’t Expire
Another myth? That seasoned employees no longer seek growth or recognition. In reality, ambition evolves, from titles and pace to purpose and impact.
Action: In performance check-ins, ask open ended questions like: “Is there a challenge or leadership opportunity you’d be excited to take on?” Don’t assume motivation drops with age, just that it may take a different form.
5. Assess Learning Agility Based on Evidence, Not Age
Bias often appears in L&D decisions: “It’s easier to train someone younger.” But learning agility is not age bound. In fact, older professionals often learn faster connecting theory to execution.
Action: Use real examples to assess learning agility. Ask: “Tell me about something new you had to master recently and how you applied it.” Then evaluate based on initiative, not just the topic.
6. Treat Experience as Data, Not Resistance
A common dismissal: “That’s the old way of doing things.” But experienced employees often spot risk, failure patterns, or inefficiencies faster, because they’ve lived them.
Action: When someone questions a plan based on past experience, respond with: “What pattern are you seeing here that we might be missing?” This turns reflection into foresight and makes experience a decision making asset.
7. Build Cross Generational Collaboration, Not Age Silos
Too often, younger employees are tasked with innovation, while older employees “support.” This is neither inclusive nor strategic.
Action: Pair younger and more experienced team members intentionally, not as mentor/mentee, but as co problem solvers. Use their different lenses to accelerate insight, reduce blind spots, and build shared credibility.
Conclusion: Age Inclusion Is a Business Imperative
Employees rarely cite ageism when they resign. But its fingerprints are there, in stalled growth, subtle sidelining, or quiet exits. And every exit represents a cost: rehiring, retraining, and the loss of wisdom money can’t buy.
Leaders who fail to address ageism risk more than disengagement, they risk culture dilution, succession instability, and reputation loss.
True diversity means recognising the value of all life stages. The future of work isn’t just young or digital it’s inclusive, intergenerational, and strategically diverse
For more leadership strategies that strengthen inclusion, boost retention, and elevate your talent outcomes, explore our most read resources on Perennial HR.
Learn how to build momentum from Day One in Job Hugging: Why Playing It Safe Could Hurt Your Career bring structure and fairness to hiring with Interview Scorecards: The Secret to Smarter Hiring, and attract top talent with clarity in 7 Ways to Build Career Visibility Without Bragging
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