Not Enough At Any Age: Women And Their Constant Struggle With Biases

Ageism is commonly associated with its impact on older employees; however, recent research published in the Harvard Business Review indicates that age bias affects women at all stages of their careers. Regardless of their age, women encounter various obstacles due to age-related prejudices.

Younger women struggle to secure promotions because their supervisors perceive them as lacking sufficient experience. Middle-aged women are often burdened with assumptions about family responsibilities, which hinder their advancement. Meanwhile, older women face the unjust perception that they are undeserving of promotions. These findings underscore the pervasive nature of age-based discrimination against women in the workplace.

Every Woman Is A Victim

Victoria Parker, Operation Director at Outsource UK Limited, took to LinkedIn and shared her experience, "When I was younger and went to client meetings or industry seminars, I frequently had the impression that the others in the room didn't trust my knowledge or my voice because they believed I was too young." 

In the workplace, younger female employees mentioned being referred to with endearing nicknames, encountering situations where their roles were inaccurately assumed, and facing a lack of credibility, where their statements and expertise were met with skepticism.

Parker said that it resulted in her believing that it was either her lack of confidence that was resulting in such behaviour from her superiors. It further resulted in her acquiring imposter syndrome.

Society & Economy Suffers

The findings of this research have profound implications for the careers of countless professional women. Despite some advancements, women still encounter underrepresentation in Fortune 500 companies and leadership roles within corporations, with only 25% of C-suite positions occupied by women.

Amy Diehl, co-author of the study, has said that it didn't matter what age the women were, they were never considered for the role of leadership. They always seemed to be lacking something. They were either too young or too old.

The prevalent age bias that affects women at every career stage sheds light on the covert barriers that impede their progress towards achieving the same level of career success as equally qualified men.

Another co-author of the study, Leanne Dzubinski, said that it's not just women who are the victims of such gender bias but it's also the broader economy that suffers. She said, "When the ability of half or more of the workforce to contribute to organisations and society is constrained, losses occur that have an impact on everyone and the economy as a whole. Discrimination against women, regardless of their age, has far-reaching consequences, impacting both individuals and society at large."

Battle Of The Ages

The Harvard report further offers strategies to counter gendered ageism. Firstly, it advocates acknowledging age bias and the associated challenges. Secondly, it recommends addressing "lookism" in diversity, equity, and inclusion training to prevent its covert impact. 

Amber Stephenson, who co-authored the research paper, said, "Ageism tends to be disregarded and sometimes even socially tolerated, receiving inadequate attention from human resources and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives."

Furthermore, the focus should be on individuals' skills, irrespective of their age, and fostering intergenerational, diverse teams, which will promote collaborative learning. Stephenson further said, "Bringing together women of various ages can help them to become more powerful and to openly address age-related discrimination. However, talking about ageism in women may require more extensive measures."

Companies should prioritise hiring and promotion decisions based solely on skills, irrespective of the individual possessing them. Additionally, integrating lookism initiatives can be instrumental in correcting such biases. By implementing these broader efforts, we can effectively combat ageism and foster a more inclusive and equitable environment for women.

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