Age-related stereotypes go west in survey comparing older and younger workers

We swim in an unhelpful and unappetising soup of stereotypes dividing and discriminating between older and younger workers.

But there’s increasing evidence all is not what it seems and the ages might have far more in common in their ways of working than even they thought.

So here’s a credible survey from the Havard Business Review which over 50s might pin up at work or send to prospective bosses with their CV.

The research involving 10,000 people, aged from 24 to 80 from around the world, looked at how technological change and growing longevity are revolutionising the world of work.

And the headline findings from the academics, who recently wrote the book The 100 Year Life, is that there’s much less difference between the generations than the stereotypes suggest.

All ages are reinvesting in their skills, aiming to be healthier and examining work options which just didn’t exist for their parents.

And the younger workers report feeling far more exhausted and are less likely to be keep fit than their older colleagues

The authors Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott looked at six common age-related stereotypes and found the respondents of all ages busting the myths at every turn. Here are just four of them.

Gaining new skills: Almost 2/3 of those in their 30s,40s and 60s are worried their skills aren’t keeping up with changing work demands. After 45 almost 60% of all ages keep investing in skills and there’s no significant decline with age.

Being positive about work: It’s not age related at all with a constant of just over 50% of every cohort feeling good about their jobs. Just as many 20s feel bad about work as 60s.

Who works harder at keeping fit?: The image might be of the gym bunny of tender years but while about half of those under 50 try to  keep fit the figures rise with age with 71% of those aged over 70 exercising to maintain their vitality.

Older workers get more exhausted: In the survey more people under 45 said they were exhausted than those over 45 and the group which reported the least exhaustion were aged over 60!

The authors believe that to fund retirement many of those in their 50s will work into their 70s and those in the 20s well in their 80s.

They also believe the longer working life and technological changes mean workers will experience a multi-stage life where education, learning, jobs, freelance gigs and time out of work will be blended.

One result will be that those of different ages will work in the same areas and offices making more work ‘age agnostic’ and rendering the stereotypes out-dated.

It can’t happen too soon but you may recall a previous blog based on an earlier piece in the Havard Business Review.

It found more damage was caused to older workers believing in misleading stereotypes about themselves than in others such as employers thinking them too

Link to story:  https://hbr.org/2016/11/our-assumptions-about-old-and-young-workers-are-wrong

NB The authors remind us that this online survey's respondents, rather like those of the FiftyUp Club survey is a sample of those who chose to engage and also have internet access so it's NOT typical of all older people around the world but it's a good start!

We'd love your thoughts below on work place stereotypes. Have you experienced this?