Age discrimination is more common than you think; In fact, it is the most common form of discrimination and almost a third of people will experience it at some point. Everyone knows the prejudices about young people, old people, and so on. How can you prevent age discrimination at work? It is, like other forms of discrimination, prohibited by law.
What is age discrimination?
Age discrimination is treating someone differently than others based on his or her age. It is more common than you think and is becoming a serious problem, including in the workplace.
Discrimination on the grounds of age has been prohibited by law in the Netherlands since May 1, 2004. This law is called the Equal Treatment on the Basis of Age in Employment Act (WGBL) and the Equal Treatment Commission monitors compliance with it. The prohibition on age discrimination applies to the areas of work and (vocational) education, and specifically to
Work:
- recruitment and selection
- appointment
- job placement
- employment conditions
- promotion
- dismissal
(Vocational) education:
- education
- vocational guidance
- career orientation
- membership of employers’ or employees’ organizations or an association of professionals.
Common forms of age discrimination
The elderly are discriminated against the most
The prejudices are that they cannot keep up with modern technology, work slower and are less productive, and so on. Nonsense of course, but almost a quarter of working people over the age of fifty have to deal with these kinds of prejudices.
Another myth is that older people no longer want to learn new things
That is why they are often no longer eligible for courses and training, while it is essential for everyone to keep their skills up to date. It is not without reason that the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science has introduced Lifelong Learning: OCW sees learning as a lasting part of life, and especially of work. Ultimately, it is about being permanently employable in the labor process, in other words: employability for everyone. With the increasing aging population, this certainly also applies to the elderly.
And now that we have to work longer and longer, it is all the more important that older people can continue to play a good role in the working environment, for example by sharing their knowledge.
Not only the elderly are discriminated against, young people are also often victims
They miss promotion opportunities due to a perceived lack of experience, or are excluded from jobs and training based on their age. Or they are paid less because of their age.
People often think that young people are not interested in anything, that they are not motivated, while a younger generation may simply deal with things differently.
How to prevent age discrimination at work
Adoption policy
Age discrimination is also prohibited when recruiting new people. Look at the job description and judge the candidate’s suitability based on that, not on preconceptions. Ask questions based on the job requirements, so in this position you have to travel a lot, do you find that annoying? and not Do you have children, oh, then you certainly don’t want to be away from home that much? And also consider older employees who may want to work longer!
Courses
Don’t exclude people based on their age. Try to find a learning method that suits everyone’s learning style, regardless of age.
Division of tasks
Be flexible and take changing working hours into account. And here too the following applies: no assumptions, ask people whether they are interested in a task, can handle it, and so on.
Respect!
Don’t look down on young people who just come to watch or older people who can no longer follow it all: appreciate each other, learn from each other.