If Talent Attraction And Retention Is A Strategic Priority, This Book Should Be On Your Reading List

The workplace has undergone significant change over the last two years—work-from-home, hybrid and, of course, the great reshuffling. As employers cross-examine their workplace culture to increase talent attraction and retention, nine out of ten ignore one key factor: age bias. One reason Dr. Becca Levy’s new book, “Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live,” should be on everyone’s reading list.

Dr. Levy, a professor of epidemiology at Yale School of Public Health and a professor of psychology at Yale University, is a rock star in the aging space. Her years of research highlight the dangers of a youth-focused global culture, not only in the way it negatively impacts health and wellness but also as a societal indicator of the overall pervasiveness of ageism.

Age bias, myths and stereotypes are especially ubiquitous in the workplace where older workers, in particular, have found it challenging to obtain training and promotions as well as to access new opportunities.

An Extraordinary Opportunity

“Demographically we are at a crossroads,” writes Dr. Levy. “For the first time in human history, there are now more people in the world over the age of 64 than under the age of five. That so many people are experiencing old age, and doing so in better health, is one of society’s greatest achievements. It’s also an extraordinary opportunity to rethink what it means to grow old.”

Likewise, the fastest-growing talent pool is 65 and older. This reality shifts the long-held social concept that the earlier one can retire, the better. People who live longer want and need to work longer–not just for financial reasons, but for a range of psychosocial motivators such as the opportunity to contribute and be part of a team.

For employers, the benefit of employee longevity comes with a requirement–a shift in mindset.

"With the right mindset and tools, we can change our age beliefs. But to get at the origin of the beliefs, the ageist culture needs to change," says Dr. Levy, who adds that people of any age should be empowered to choose whether or not they want to work. "The important thing is that people have a choice."

It’s About Awareness

Age beliefs are mental maps about the expectations we have of others based on how old they are. The good news is that these maps can be altered. Awareness of age bias and the many ways it shows up creates the advocates required to make societal and workplace changes.

Once people recognize how widespread age stereotypes are, they begin noticing them everywhere–like Quinn, aged 21, whose story Dr. Levy includes. After interning during the summer with the Gray Panthers, Quinn recognized the pervasiveness of ageism. He is now on course to become a “full-time age liberation activist.”

Dr. Levy tells another story of Wilhelmina Delco, who picked up swimming for the first time twelve years ago at age 80. Delco said she was known as “the old lady who swims at the Y.” But for Delco, a Black woman with a distinguished political career, a lifetime experience navigating racism has helped her navigate ageism.

Mindset, as Dr. Levy has long taught, makes all the difference. Her research has repeatedly demonstrated how positive age beliefs positively impact health and longevity. A positive change in mindset, no matter the age, can “lead to both internal change and a change in one’s interactions with the environment. Age beliefs, it turns out, can steal or add nearly eight years to your life.”

Are You Age Biased? (Hint: Yes)

We all carry biases, and most of us are age biased–or have been at some time. In case you’re a skeptic, here are five questions to ask yourself.

Have you ever:

1. felt impatient with someone significantly younger or older than you?
2. made fun of someone’s birthday? (i.e., 40, 50, 60…)
3. thought that a person could not perform a job because they were too young or too old?
4. made a hiring or retention decision based on someone’s age?
5. ever thought that growing older meant the onset of disabilities such as dementia?

The stereotypes and myths about age and aging are endless. Not only do they hurt others, but age bias is often internalized and negatively impacts how people perceive themselves. Additionally, age stereotypes hurt younger people destined to age into a biased, exclusive culture unless this ageist reality is transformed into an age-inclusive one. When younger workers embrace the importance of age equity, they become invested in creating an age-inclusive workplace.

The good news is that Dr. Levy is convinced society is nearing a tipping point. “Every single person who becomes aware of ageism and decides to counter it is one person closer to a new reality.”

Change is As Simple As A, B, C

The importance of abandoning stereotypes is core to Dr. Levy’s work. Not only does she say it’s past time to let them go, but she also provides simple exercises and resources to support the process.

A: Increase Awareness

We don’t know what we don’t know. And many of us don’t understand how our negative age beliefs impact ourselves and those around us.

B: Place Blame Where It Belongs

It’s not getting older that’s the problem; rather, the fact that society denigrates the aging process and older people. How are age myths and stereotypes perpetuated? Why is ageism overlooked?

C: Challenge Negative Age Beliefs

Eradicating bias and discrimination of any kind requires us to call it out–and that includes statements about age that belittle others. In the workplace, that can be as easy as asking, “Is that really true?” On social media, it could be a quick comment like, “That sounds ageist to me.”

Time to Debunk Age Stereotypes

Dr. Levy's deep dive into awareness, blame and challenging beliefs provides evidence and inspiration to employers as they rethink a more age-inclusive employee culture. She takes it even further with an appendix for how to debunk the most common age stereotypes.

Have you ever thought you can't teach an old dog new tricks or that older workers are less effective in the workplace? Not so. Dr. Levy gives the evidence you need to debunk the plethora of workplace myths and set the expectation for a culturally-aware, age-inclusive employee culture.

The workplace will continue to evolve as the future of work unfolds. But right now, addressing age bias will benefit employers through greater access to talent and less workplace disruption. And it will help employees who, through increased awareness, will want to create a better environment to work in and age in.