Gendered Ageism Affects Women Throughout Their Careers
Written By WIN Coach and WIN Summit Speaker, Bonnie Marcus
Women still encounter many challenges in the workplace today. Progress towards gender equity has been slow. We still are not paid equally to our male counterparts. We lack sponsorship as well as the same opportunities for advancement offered to men.
To address this inequity, many companies now include gender bias training in their DEI initiatives and recognize the importance of advancing more women to leadership. As professional women in the workplace, we are aware of the challenges of gender bias; yet we are not prepared for the intersection of gender bias and ageism which affects us at every stage of our careers.
To gain more insight into how this affects women in the workplace, I surveyed 729 women from the age of 18 through 70 about their experiences in the workplace. Most of the respondents (65%) live and work in the US, the balance from Canada, the UK, Europe, and the rest of the world.
The key findings from the survey highlight not only the pervasiveness of gendered ageism but also demonstrate clearly how this affects women’s career trajectory and financial security.
Here are the key findings from the research:
1. Gendered Ageism is a reality for women.
Around 80% of those surveyed experienced some form of gendered ageism. A third of all respondents (33%) felt they could not get a job or interview because of their age. The most common experiences were “feeling opinions were ignored” (47%), “seeing younger colleagues get attention” (42%), and “not being invited to key meetings” (35%).
2. You’re too young or too old.
Women reported feeling that they are either too young or too old. 77% of those under 35 reported the negative impact of gendered ageism. They aren’t invited to key meetings and are considered too young and inexperienced to have value. Starting at age 35, women begin to experience gendered ageism at increasing rates as they age with 60% of those 35-40 reporting the experience. It’s at this stage many women feel the motherhood penalty and their income and status suffers. If they go part-time or opt-out for a period of time, they are dropped off the leadership track and their commitment to their career questioned. The percentage peaks among those between 59 and 64 with 88% stating they had experienced some form of gendered ageism, where they’re passed over for key assignments and promotions, marginalized as they show visible signs of aging and often forced out of the workforce prematurely.
3. Gendered ageism is everywhere.
For those currently working, 77% reported a prevalence of gendered ageism with 41% stating it was “very or moderately” prevalent. Those at public companies were more likely to report a prevalence with 82% compared to 73% at private corporations.
4. Nowhere to go for help.
A full three-fourths (75%) of those who experienced gendered ageism and were still employed did not take any action. Of those who did not act, 70% stated they didn’t take action because they didn’t believe it would make a difference. More than a quarter (26%) didn’t trust HR and 23% did not want to risk their job. Of those that did act, there was little satisfaction. Of the 19% that spoke to their manager 44% were very dissatisfied and 17% were somewhat dissatisfied. The satisfaction rates for the 11% that spoke to HR were even lower with 71% either very or somewhat dissatisfied.
5. DEI doesn’t address gendered ageism.
Around 77% responded that it was not included in their company’s DEI initiatives. Interestingly, 23% stated they did not know and 15% said their company did not have DEI initiatives. Public companies were more likely to have DEI, all but 3%, but only 23% of both public and private companies included gendered ageism. Almost a full third of private companies did not have DEI at all (30%). However, almost all respondents from both public and private companies (93% and 83% respectively) believed that more could be done to combat this prejudice.
6. Gendered ageism has long-term implications for retirement.
More than half of those surveyed reported that they do not have enough money to retire (which emphasizes the need to negotiate your salary) and nearly all (95%) of those over 53 – including those 65-70 – stated that they want or need to keep working. Yet, more than a quarter 28% of women 59-65 thought their chances of continuing to work were “fair” or “poor”. The most common reason stated – “My company does not value older workers”.
7. Once fired, it’s difficult to get re-hired.
Of those who were unemployed, 9 out of 10 stated they were fired, laid-off, forced to retire or had trouble getting a job or interview because of their age. More than half (54%) had been unemployed for more than a year. Additionally, 75% of these respondents do not have enough money to retire – creating greater urgency.
What can women do to stay marketable, keep their jobs, and advance their careers?
Be proactive and vigilant about positioning yourself as a valued contributor. Make sure you understand your value proposition; how your work contributes to positive business outcomes. Use that value proposition to advocate for yourself and build visibility and credibility across the organization.
Network, network, network with intention. Build a supportive network of allies and champions who will speak up for you when you’re not in the room. Reach out to colleagues across generations for strong relationships that enable you both to learn from each other.
Declare your ambition. Let your manager know that you’re committed to your job and your company and invested in doing your best work. Have a discussion and get their input about the future and lay out a plan for the next few years of how you can continue to add value to the organization.
Keep your skills up to date. Be proactive and stay ahead of the curve by identifying new trends in your industry and take advantage of training offered by your company or by outside resources.
Recognize how your own negative beliefs and assumptions may sabotage your best efforts to move your career forward. What is the story you tell yourself about yourself? Do you tell yourself you’re too old to get promoted? To learn new things? If your story doesn’t support your ambition, write a new empowering story that embraces your talent, your experience, your wisdom and everything you bring to the table because of your age.
Lastly, know wherever you are in your career, whatever your age, you are a valuable contributor! Own it with confidence.
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More About Bonnie Marcus
Bonnie Marcus
Founder and CEO, Bonnie Marcus Leadership LLC. WIN Coach.
Award-winning entrepreneur, Forbes contributing writer, and executive coach, Bonnie Marcus, M.Ed., assists professional women to successfully navigate the workplace and position and promote themselves to advance their careers. Bonnie shares her message globally through speaking engagements, live and virtual workshops, blogging, and her popular podcast, Badass Women at Any Age.
With 20+ years of sales and management experience, Bonnie’s extensive business background includes CEO of a ServiceMaster company and VP of Sales at Medical Staffing Network and two others national companies in the healthcare and software industries. She has held executive positions in startup companies and Fortune 500 companies.
Bonnie’s book, The Politics of Promotion: How High Achieving Women Get Ahead and Stay Ahead, provides a roadmap for women to navigate the complexities of the workplace and position themselves for success. Not Done Yet! How Women Over 50 Regain Their Confidence and Claim Their Workplace Power, shines a light on gendered ageism in the workplace and gives women the tools and the voice to defy ageist assumptions to stay marketable and keep their job.
A certified coach, Bonnie has been honored by Global Gurus as one of the world’s top 30 coaches in 2015-2020. She has been acknowledged as one of the top 100 keynote speakers in 2018 by Databird Research Journal.
Bonnie received a BA from Connecticut College and a M.Ed. from New York University.
