Workers In Their Late 30s And Older Face Ageism In A Recession
Jack Kelley wrote an article for Forbes about ageism in the face of layoffs. I was quoted as were a number of other coaches. I am going to include two of us in this post.
Companies are currently laying off workers and enacting hiring freezes in response to difficult economic conditions. There is a fear amongst experienced workers that they’ll be selected for downsizing due to their age.
Alex Freund, Interviewer Preparation And Career Coach, Landing Expert
Career coach Alex Freund believes management is not laying off people because of their age—it’s all about the money. After spending decades in the corporate world, dispensing advice, lecturing and teaching, Freund has noticed that firms tend to let go of those who make the most money. There is a high correlation between the length of service of an employee and their overall compensation. Older workers generally earn more money compared to younger generations within the office. It’s all about saving money by cutting the higher-paid workers to reign in expenses, especially during volatile economic circumstances.
Jeff Altman, Career Coach, The Big Game Hunter
Jeff Altman, a former recruiter, turned career coach, echoes Freund’s assessment. He argues that ageism isn’t the first reason people are chosen as part of mass layoffs—cost is. In addition to the salary savings, Altman points out that when a person with 10 or 20-plus years of experience is let go, vast institutional knowledge walks out the door. When older workers are kicked out, it may lead to bad publicity. If a 50-year-old is unceremoniously terminated, they could post their discriminatory experience on social media, making the business look bad. The employees, seeing this happen, would realize that all the talk about diversity and inclusion is only talk and the company doesn’t really mean what it claims to promote.
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ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a coach who worked as a recruiter for what seems like one hundred years. He is hired to provide No BS Career Advice globally. That can involve job search, hiring staff, management, leadership, career transition and advice about resolving workplace issues. Schedule a discovery call at my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us
He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 2400 episodes.
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