Older workers are a core part of the U.S. workforce, yet many face ongoing challenges related to age discrimination that we are failing to address. In a world where each generation is becoming healthier and more active in their later years, why are we letting this happen?
According to AARP, about 25% of the U.S. workforce is 55 or older, and four out of five workers over 50 say they will have to delay their retirement well into their golden years. Research shows this will continue for years to come, and in Colorado alone, 23% of workers will be over the age of 55 by 2030. So how can we support this population of workers?
Older job seekers may face a number of challenges less likely to negatively affect younger workers, such as a perception that they are too expensive to hire, that they are harder to retrain, that they may not perform as well as younger workers or that hiring someone from this demographic creates risks of employment discrimination claims. This ageism continues to exist, built on myths like these examples, even though studies have shown that older workers can be more conscientious and less absent and have better social skills than younger employees.
