Ageism - another side of the ugly face of discrimination
I had a rather sad lunch with a ex-employee and now good friend of mine. She called to talk to me about the fact that she has struggled to find work for over two years. She is highly intelligent, educated, talented and on the right side of the affirmative action spectrum. However, she does not even get to first interview stage. You see, she carries a terrible burden - she has passed her sell-by date, having just turned 50.
Unfortunately, she is not the only person I know in a similar predicament. Many of my colleagues have - for whatever reason - found themselves back in the job market after the age of 40. Most can recount experiences that left them despondant about the possibility of ever being employed again. A friend of mine called a recritment agency (quite well known) to apply for an advertised position. He was told that the consultants would be with him shortly. The well trained receptionist then asked him for a few biographical details. When she got to "date of birth", he naively answered that he was born in 1960 (or thereabouts) - making him just over 50. The young lady only hesitated slightly before suddenly remembering that the consultant was out and that all the other were busy. She promised that someone would call back shortly. Well - do you think that ever happened? I know many others who were told in less subtle ways that they were too old.
What saddens me is that these are people I know who have a great deal to offer the corporate word. They are educated, experienced and possess a depth of knowledge and skill that they have built up over 20 - 25 years in the business world. We seem so concerned about developing skills (and rightly so) that we ignore the wealth of skill and ability that could be utilised to grow and nurture the next generation.
Other countries - the US for example - have stricter rules regarding ageism. Perhaps it is time we addressed the issue more aggressively in South Africa. After all, people over 40 or 50 are hardly brain dead and suddenly lazy or incompetent. Age is a number - not a definiton of energy or ability.
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Comment by Ivan Vrtacnik on February 21, 2012 at 17:51 -
In some ways, I can understand the employers point. In some industries, by the time you're 50 you should be in a position where the prospective employer is approaching you, not the other way around. You should have a network, be on the recruiters' shortlist and a CV that sells itself. If this is not the case, the employee obviously has some skills or personality shortcoming.
Mostly however, it is a different problem which I don't think has been broached in the discussion. The skills and experience of the 40+, not their age, are the real obstacle to employment. You don't want to be on par, or even worse, more skilled than your manager. That could make the manager look incompetent in comparison (which sadly many are) and that is something most managers are not ready to deal with.
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Comment by Themba Peter Mpofu on February 7, 2012 at 17:33 -
I have stated over and over on my website that the skills shortage we seem to be having in this country is a figment of our collective imagination considering the amount of experience that is available but gets excluded due to age. It looks like many employers are looking for 'beauty queen' types of people to make their companies look good. Makes no business sense to me. Do employment agencies act as gatekeepers for this to be perpetuated?
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Comment by Themba Peter Mpofu on February 7, 2012 at 17:33
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I have stated over and over on my website that the skills shortage we seem to be having in this country is a figment of our collective imagination considering the amount of experience that is available but gets excluded due to age. It looks like many employers are looking for 'beauty queen' types of people to make their companies look good. Makes no business sense to me. Do employment agencies act as gatekeepers for this to be perpetuated?
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Comment by Joe van Wyk on February 7, 2012 at 16:21 -
And to add insult to injury: our revered Constitution so nobly states that there shall be no discrimination on the grounds of...age.
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Comment by Francois Alberts on February 7, 2012 at 13:20 -
I think it depends on the individual. My mother (an accountant) progressed to do computerised accountancy at the age of 69 and was fully employed as an accountant at an auditor firm to the age of 83. Thereafter she did part time accountancy till she past away at 85.
I will be 70 this year and am presently contracted to do Instrumentation training for learners at a major mining company. I also lecture part time at an FET college. Both are requesting even more of my time.
One needs to get out and do something about life and not just look where blame can be placed. I know of many employed people that cannot wait to go on pension and "enjoy a relaxed stress free life" (sic).
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Comment by Bulie Ndodana on February 7, 2012 at 10:49
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Thank you, Sylvia, for being willing to take the initiative of making the submission to the 'powers' of this land! I think this will be a step forward in the right direction. Perhaps the next thing is a discussion/suggestion of where this information should go to: e.g. Government:- The State Presidency and the Planning Commission; Basic and Higher Education [ it pains me that Basic Education can lay a professional off, only for Higher Education to see value and worth in the same person! do these departments even communicate? I wonder...]; Health; Finance; Agriculture; Justice and CD and others that have a workforce that is the 'backbone' of the country. Maybe one can look at other sectors and make further suggestions that will include parastatals and the corporate world. Surely there is someone who can help get us started on the initiative, I think.
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Comment by Erna van Heerden on February 7, 2012 at 9:52
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The experience and knowledge within the quoted age groups are so important for SA. From who can the youger
age groups learn from, mentored by if not by the ecperienced? There is no expiry date on knowledge and experience.
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Contributor Comment by Des Squire on February 7, 2012 at 9:47 -
Following my retrenchment some years ago and bing over the age of 50 I found I was being turned down with excuses like, "your too experienced", "worth a lot more", "wont fit in with a younger group" and most hurtful as "your too old" - truth or fiction was my query.
Is the problem not one created by the HR practitioners who are working on behalf of the companies they represent?
Is it a political thing - I think not?
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Comment by Bukiwe Mtoba on February 7, 2012 at 9:45 -
This is a very important topic and I so wish our government can look at this issue very close and find a solution, we need such people with experience to mentor the youth in the workplace.
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Comment by sylvia hammond on February 6, 2012 at 22:48
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Hi to all - thanks for great discussion. I'm happy to submit any proposals you have to a relevant department. I submitted our response to the DHET on the proposed Seta Regulations. And of course the President is also accepting any comments on the State of the Nation before his speech.
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