To think diversity and inclusion in employment rarely includes age

[teneastereggs]

Just that really. I've noticed that there's a lot more emphasis on diversity, which is great, but then for example even in the photos of staff they're all young. It doesn't feel to me as if diversity in workplaces has extended to age yet. AIBU?

Do you think DEI groups should be running special initiatives for white men? To be inclusive of all groups?

DEI is about ensuring all groups can be included in the workplace. Right now, unemployment is much higher among young people than older people.

OP, if you’re not willing to take anything on board other than people agreeing with you and saying YANBU, and you’re going to completely ignore data in a way that’s actually quite astonishing, then why post?!!

Are you misrepresenting on purpose or just really struggling to grasp what diversity policies are?

It's irrelevant if posters are telling me there's no problem tbh. There is one, as many older posters on here have said. And some recruiters are taking steps to overcome the issues. Discrimination against older applicants happen. Do I think that is or should be part of diversity and inclusion policies? Yes I do.

It's irrelevant if posters are telling me there's no problem tbh

What's the point of asking AIBU if anyone saying YABU is "irrelevant"?

Are employment statistics also irrelevant?

So, the posters who disagree with you are irrelevant, but the posters who agree with you are relevant? How does that work, then?

What's the point of asking AIBU if anyone saying YABU is "irrelevant"?

What's irrelevant is people telling me ageism doesn't exist or isn't a problem in job applications. But I can see your point really I should consider that I'm BU to think it should be taken into account as part of inclusion and diversity strategy.

I agree, OP.

In a job I had about 15 years ago, the (very unpleasant) recruiter, who was about 25 at the time, announced very loudly about a pile of application forms she was looking through that 'I'm not employing anyone who got their degree before I was born!!' (with a venomous sneer, too).

Luckily a quick-witted older member of staff replied 'That's when degrees really were degrees, Tracey!' (not her real name...)

Yanbu

There’s a difference between discrimination and underrepresentation.

Ageism is definitely a thing. It’s prejudice. But it’s not the same as being part of an underrepresented group.

Do you not understand the difference?

I dont know why people keep saying do I not understand underrepresentation when I've not said older people aren't represented in the workforce. Of course I don't think that. However, in certain roles and sectors there isn't diversity of age and there is discrimination in the hiring process. Also, when looking at overall diversity of employees, in relation to new hires, I don't think that age is considered enough as something to be protected from discrimination.

YANBU

I've had 3 recruiters mention my age last week. Neither put my cv forwards.

They "sussed" my age bracket from school, degree and experience and all hunted for me on LinkedIn to gauge my employment dates.

LinkedIn needs to stop asking for dates for employment and education fight against discrimination...

There may be a skills shortage but until recruiters are thoroughly regulated and have a "board" to complain to then they don't give a shit.

If the MD is the recruiter then there's nobody to complain to and if you complain via Google Reviews then they just reply with "Sorry, we have looked st our records and we don't recognise your name. Please contact us to discuss"

bullshit gaslighting ageist bastards....* *

Our company pretends very hard to care about Diversity and Inclusion. In reality, they care about black colleagues.

There are a lot of companies now that are doing “blind” cv sifting when people apply - you have to totally anonymise it, no name, age, dates of education or details of which institution etc. So at least they are making moves to assess applicants on their experience and suitability and trying to remove any unconscious bias from the mix.

And also, so many jobs require you to fill in application form and literally make Date of Birth a mandatory field before being able to click "submit"

A good example is Stovax in Exeter. 😂

It was literally your opening post 😂

”in the photos of staff they're all young. It doesn't feel to me as if diversity in workplaces has extended to age yet.”

Do you have anything to back up your claim that older people make up a smaller percentage of new hires and therefore being discriminated against?

How do you know they’re not applying? They most certainly do apply. And they’re being rejected for being older, even when they’re willing to work for the same salary. My question still stands: If I’m happy to accept 25k then why does it matter if I’m 21 or 51?

Fascinating article in Harvard Business Review about the fact that women will only tend to apply for jobs when they feel they 100% match the criteria, where as men will apply if they are only a 60% skills match. How much of this is us self-sabotaging because we just don’t have the belief in our own abilities? https://hbr.org/2014/08/why-women-dont-apply-for-jobs-unless-theyre-100-qualified

It does pretty much say “no old people”. It also says “no disabled people, no people with kids or other care responsibilities, no people with health issues or religions that mean they don’t drink alcohol”. It’s just discriminatory all round.

How do you know that they are?

Well … surely you would expect there to be more people in employment in the 15 year range (50-65) than in the 9 year range (25-34). No? You should expect almost 50% more in fact.

So, what exactly are you trying to say?

Unless you mean a higher percentage of people employed, but that’s not what you say. Could you link to your stats? They seem a bit off.

You might expect it, but the OP doesn’t.
I don’t know what you are struggling to understand, in the OP the poster claimed in many companies it was all young people and not old people because diversity according to age wasn’t a thing, implying older people are under represented.
The data clearly suggests this isn’t the case.

I’m struggling to understand your interpretation of statistics, and your reluctance to provide the statistics that you claim back up your opinion.

You claim there are more people employed in the 50-65 age group than in the 25-34 age group. Well yes, anyone would expect that to be the case because there are vastly more people in that group. Your sets are not comparable.

What would be interesting is if the percentages employed were comparable. Then we could see if they support OPs view, or your view.

You say about OP’s opinion that “The data clearly suggests this isn’t the case” but you haven’t supplied any data for this, merely an opinion.