What Are Some Examples Of Age Discrimination In The Workplace

What are some examples of age discrimination in the workplace that never reach a complaint? Most of them sound like banter, and they do their damage by shaping who gets taken seriously.

Calling someone a dinosaur about technology. Referring to a colleague as the baby of the team in front of a client. Boomer or millennial used as an explanation for a disagreement. Asking when someone is planning to retire, repeatedly, as small talk. Saying a younger colleague will understand when they have been around a while.

None of this is intended to harm. The cumulative effect is that people are read through their age rather than their work, and it becomes harder for them to be heard.

It also builds the context in which a later, more serious decision gets made.

The Australian Human Rights Commission covers age discrimination. This is general information rather than legal advice, and obligations vary by state and territory.

See Sentrient’s respect at work training and code of conduct training.