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Age Lessons Study Disproves Conventional Wisdom; Age Discrimination Impacts Young Workers More Often than Old, Men More than Women CHICAGO, September 5, 2007—Contrary to conventional wisdom, younger workers [36% of 18-34 year olds] are more likely to say they experienced age discrimination than older, 35+ workers [24%] in a national online study from Age Lessons, the Boomer consulting firm, fielded by Harris Interactive®. In follow-up phone interviews conducted by Age Lessons, 93% of respondents said they had “witnessed or experienced” ageism and were hesitant to report it for reasons including a perceived inability to change the status quo, fear of being labeled a problem or getting targeted for future layoffs. “Ageism isn't about old people, it's about all people. To avoid a ‘war of the ages' in the workplace, companies need to address generational diversity across the age spectrum and develop strategies for leveraging the richness and value-add of a diverse workforce,” noted Laurel Kennedy, Age Lessons president. Another unexpected finding: men [30%] were more likely than women [23%] to admit to a personal experience with age discrimination at work. Women may be more focused on issues of gender equality, or men may simply be more vocal about their experiences. Additional findings include:
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