Challenges Facing Older Workers, Including Ageism in the Workplace

     I can tell you from personal experience that older workers face many challenges. One thing that surprised me a bit is simply the difficulty of finding work. I figured that with my decades of experience I would be able to get more interviews but far more often than not I am screened out.    

      One aspect of ageism that is often unintentional but real nonetheless is hiring for entry-level positions more often. Companies and government employers may target specifically for entry-level positions or hire for low-paying positions that sort of imply that they would prefer a younger candidate. Many state jobs I have applied for ask specifically for your age range. In my case, 55-69 is the range I have encountered frequently. While employers may also target older workers with higher-paying management-level jobs, these also often require very specific experience and advanced degrees. Without those, an older candidate is again at a significant disadvantage. In my case, I live in a rural area where jobs are scarce, long commutes are a given, and I still must compete with those who are more mobile and will move to get a decent position in my general area. Many of us older workers are less inclined to relocate for a job.

     Whether to take social security early is another issue that comes up. If one loses a job at age 62 or higher, one is more likely to take social security early due to financial need. This can cut one’s benefits from what they would be if one didn’t choose to take it early. According to an analysis from the Employee Benefit Research Institute, 46% of workers retired earlier than planned in 2023. Other issues like health problems contribute to that but often job loss is a big factor. The study said that while one-third of workers said they expected to work till the age of 70, only 6% actually do. According to a CNBC article:

 

“More than half, 56%, of full-time workers in their early 50s get pushed out of their jobs (due to circumstances like a layoff) before they're ready to retire, according to a 2018 paper published by the Urban Institute.

 

"Job loss at older ages is really consequential," said Johnson, a report co-author. He attributes much of that workplace dynamic to ageism.

 

“Just 10% who suffered an involuntary job separation in their early 50s ever earn as much per week after their separation as before it, the Urban Institute paper said. In other words, 90% earn less — "often substantially less," Johnson said.

 

According to an article in USA Today:

 

“Roughly two-thirds of adults over 50 believe older workers face discrimination in the workplace, according to a new AARP report. Of that group, 90% believe ageism is commonplace.”

 

That is shocking in my opinion, that it is so commonplace that people expect it. A 2021 AARP study noted that 78% of older workers claimed to have seen or experienced workplace age discrimination!

     The number of people over 65 in the workforce has quadrupled since the mid-1980s and nearly a quarter of the workforce is 55 or older. An advisor from AARP noted that ageism has become an acceptable form of discrimination and that it is tolerated. While making room for the next generation may be seen as beneficial, when it’s done at the personal expense of older workers who need to survive, it seems less so, especially to those affected. Among the findings of the AARP report is that 20% of workers over 40 said they personally experienced age discrimination, 25% said they had personally heard negative comments about a co-worker’s age, and half of older workers said they were asked to provide a birth date on their application.

     Older workers may also want to work a bit less and have time available for things like health care issues. They may benefit more from remote or hybrid work, even though that may compel them to become more tech-savvy. I have had to learn new software and shared drive processes, which are common in lots of work. One aspect I love about working remotely is the saved time from commuting. My onsite jobs have had me commuting up to 2 hours or more a day or 10 hours a week. That is a lot of time driving and a lot of wear and tear on my vehicle.

     In a Metro article, a 60-year-old man who had been job searching for three years noted that he often got negative replies and came to expect them:

 

“I never seem to get past the front gate. Can’t even get an interview. It’s completely demoralising.”

 

Unfortunately, this has been my experience as well. I get an interview for about 5% of the jobs to which I apply. Some people actually resort to lying about their age to get consideration.

     But some people are working longer. A Washington Post headline reads ‘A big problem for young workers: 70- and 80-year-olds who won’t retire.’ The author Aden Barton, who looks quite young judging by his picture, cites issues like the difficulty of younger workers in getting promoted because of older employees still working. This is known as the ‘demographic traffic jam.’ However, the article he cites from 2019 blames the baby boomers aged at that time 54-74. 13 of those years, or 65%, are below full retirement age. Are they suggesting people should be pushed out of their jobs or made to retire early, or take pay cuts, and demotions to make way for younger workers who want to move up in the company?  People are living longer now which means they need to put back more for retirement. That is true for everyone but often more acute for those that do not have many years left in the workforce and have not invested enough. The graph below which the author gives does not really support his conclusion or his headline, showing that the amount of people over 70 who are still working is nearly as low as the number of males or females (not both) aged 16-19 who are working. Most of those are still in high school.

     Another article notes that the average retirement age has risen to 62 in recent years. In 2002 about 1 in 20 or 5% of people aged 75 were still working but in 2022 that number rose to 1 in 12 or 8.3%. 19% of people over the age of 65 were still working in 2023. Apparently, that is double what it was over 35 years ago. An alarming statistic is that about half of those between 55 and 66 had no retirement savings at all. Projections from the Labor Department suggest that the share of younger workers in the workforce will flatline by 2032 which also suggests that we will need more older workers in the future.  

 

The Washington Post article does state some data that shows that in 1990 workers over 55 made up 10% of the workforce while now they make up 23%. There seem to be three simple reasons for this: later full retirement age, longer lifespans, and more post-retirement expenses. He also cites a growing income gap between workers over 55 and those under 35. The data grew the most between 2000 and 2004, not too long after the full retirement age was raised from 65 to 67 in 1990. Since then, it has remained fairly steady. See for yourself below. Thus, I would say his argument does not really pass muster looking at the graphic evidence he cites. Perhaps he should have gotten an older co-worker to review his article. I am just kidding here, of course. 

 

It’s not just people who don’t want to quit but many can’t quit because they need the money. I can understand being annoyed at the ultra-wealthy exec who chooses to keep working, perhaps just to remain relevant, but if it is a need then that is not a fair argument at all. Apparently, a lot of older workers are over-represented in certain low-paying jobs like housekeeping, home health care, personal care, and janitorial work.

     Apparently, some people also feel shame at being retired, perhaps feeling that they are no longer contributing. I would not feel that way and I would say that there are many important things to do besides paid work for those who say they would be bored with retirement. Others are happy to be retired at a young age. My dad had to retire in his mid-50s for health reasons. He died at 62. Luckily for me, my health seems to be just fine, although it might be nice to have health insurance. I’ll be happy to get Medicare at 65. Hopefully, I will be able to afford it as it costs money too.

     Data from Morningstar Center for Retirement & Policy Studies suggest that 45% of Americans who retire at 65 may run out of money in retirement. That will drop closer to half of that if they retire at 70. Thus, the article seems to suggest that working longer is the solution, while the Washington Post article says that is creating a problem for younger workers’ ability to move up.

     Skill needs can change for jobs over time as technology changes. Unfortunately, my experience has been that employers seem to be unwilling to train. They seem to want people who are experienced in the exact job, not just a related one, even if it’s just a few years vs. decades in related jobs. Employers also may have demographic targets, whether officially or not, to hire so many people of each age group. This is in addition to any DEI considerations that employers may have. Older workers may be ideal if the job requires extensive experience in the exact position, but from my experience that is rare. According to research by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College sought to assess the demand for older workers. They reviewed and combined databases and studies into a meta-study. They found that older workers are considered to be as productive or slightly more productive than younger workers and also as costly or more costly than younger workers. They didn’t mention anything about ageism. They did note that there is no evidence that older workers lower productivity

 

      Meanwhile, Larry Fink has suggested that more people working to full retirement age would be a good solution to shoring up social security. I prefer Bernie Sanders’ proposal to make the ultra-wealthy pay more into social security (though I rarely agree with Bernie). Fink is pretty wealthy so he may not like that solution! He suggests treating older workers better so that is good. It’s a nice thought but it doesn’t change anything. It’s hard to work longer when you can’t find any work. As someone who has been self-employed, I paid a lot into Social Security and Medicare since I had to pay the extra 7.65% for years. According to the Benzinga article about Fink’s suggestion:

 

“In 2023, a survey from the Society for Human Resource Management found that 30% of workers felt discriminated against due to their age. Of these workers, 72% said it made them feel like quitting their jobs. Many workers age 50 and older also stated they feel less valuable compared to younger workers. Older workers are often overlooked for younger, perceived as more dynamic candidates.”

 

     Younger workers have been associated with energy, enthusiasm, and eagerness. I was watching a special on Scripps News about Ageism in the Workplace when they noted some clues that employers were seeking younger hires. One was saying they are seeking energetic workers. I just applied for a job that said just that. Many others say they are seeking energetic, driven, hard-working, enthusiastic, or ambitious candidates or ones with a strong work ethic. Are such statements useful or necessary? Do they betray a preference for younger candidates? I’m qualified for the job to which I applied and my fingers are crossed but that doesn’t make me feel better about it. My calm demeanor was once apparently misinterpreted by a supervisor as a lack of enthusiasm. Another issue I have come across is that getting older is real. I think as one gets older it may take one a bit longer to learn a new skill. I am not sure if this is a part of the natural cognitive decline that comes with age or just my own experience. I learn lots of new things. I read quite a lot. I write quite a lot. I contemplate quite a lot. I process a vast amount of information. Perhaps that competes with work learning. I have worked a lot of overtime in my life but have also had gaps between work and between jobs. These days I don’t really want to work overtime, but I will if I must. Most jobs I have had have required it at least occasionally.

     Other older workers are faced with serious issues such as being unable to physically do their physically demanding job. Sometimes that can’t really be helped. Other times one might be able to shift to a less physically demanding position.

     Many of the suggested ways for older people to get hired involve trying to de-emphasize one’s age and experience. I think this is bullshit. One article said to try to look and appear younger in order to pre-empt age discrimination. BS, I say.  I do some of these like keeping my resume concise and relevant. However, I try to be open about my age in interviews by emphasizing my work experiences. We older workers sometimes face the issue of being overqualified but often that is about the particular job that is available. In places where there are few jobs, one is likely to apply anyway and hope for the best. I’ve tried a few different strategies in interviews such as being fairly indifferent and perhaps more relaxed where the job was really too far away, or I didn’t think I had a decent chance. For other interviews, I did significant research and study. I like to learn about new things so anytime I see a job description that sounds interesting I read about the subject and sometimes write about it. I tend to keep my resume general rather than focused. I use a cover letter to add some focuses targeted to the job posted. I used to make quite a lot of money working as a consultant but that had gone down steadily before I got laid off without any possibility of return. I had to consider lower pay, including very low pay and even some manufacturing and warehouse positions. I’m sure that kind of work has changed a bit from 35 or 40 years ago when I used to do it, although it’s not on my resume.

     Changing the type of work one does can be a solution for some. The Michigan Retirement Research Center found that 40% to 50% of people over 50 change occupations after turning 50. I have been doing that out of necessity, but I had a bad experience with a new job in a new field. I got fired a few weeks after a review that was shocking and insulting. I wasn’t expecting a bad review that was based on false information, misunderstandings, and misperceptions. Interestingly, I was told I wasn’t enthusiastic enough (a common observation about older workers). I questioned and protested the review and thought my explanations were convincing but apparently not. I was not given an adequate explanation. I was simply told that I didn’t fit in. It was a humiliating experience. I’m quite sure that I was treated unfairly. I liked parts of the job and felt fairly competent at it although it had its challenges. I didn’t like some aspects of the job, and I felt kind of cramped by the culture, but I was willing to put up with it. But alas, there was nothing I could do.

 

“…most states have at-will employment laws. An at-will employee can be fired at any time for any reason and without warning — and without having to establish “just cause.”

 

One article noted:

 

“You can have all the skills and experience in the world, but employers will dismiss a candidate who isn't a good fit for their company culture. But why would you want that job anyway?”

 

Well, because I needed it. I don’t want to have a repeat of a situation like that. I am only willing to take so much for a job. I paid my dues since first being employed 49 years ago as a morning paper boy seven days a week, and I am willing to work hard but I am less willing to take crap than I was when I was younger. I’ve had jobs where I had to sleep in my car, do my business in the woods (legal or not), get harassed, and I’ve worked over 24 hours multiple times. I’ve also worked remotely, which is quite nice due to that lack of commuting which saves car use and time, and I can usually get enough sleep.

     I have heard of other older workers being pushed into retirement before their full retirement age, presumably to make way for younger workers who could pay less. Now, I am all for younger workers getting opportunities to advance and make money, but not at the expense of older workers.

As for me, I just want to find a job I can be good at, relatively enjoy, learn and be useful, and make enough money to survive. All I can do is keep trying and I will.

      

 

 

 

References:

Why working longer is a bad retirement plan. Greg Iacurci. CNBC. October 31, 2023. Why working longer is a bad retirement plan (msn.com)

Older workers find a less tolerant workplace: Why many say age discrimination abounds. Daniel de Visé. USA Today. February 11, 2024. Older workers see rampant age discrimination in the office (usatoday.com)

17 Reasons Employers Won't Hire People Over 50. Eline Thornton. Planning to Organize. June 21, 2024. 17 Reasons Employers Won't Hire People Over 50 (msn.com)

Over 50 and looking for a job? Here’s what you need to know about age and work. Cheryl Winokur Munk. CNBC. July 10, 2022. Over 50 and looking for a job? Here's what to know about age and work (cnbc.com)

Here's The Tough Reality About Job Hunting When You're Over 50. Veuer. Here's The Tough Reality About Job Hunting When You're Over 50 | Watch (msn.com)

I've been applying for jobs for 3 years. I'm only 60 but know my age is to blame. Isaac Mockton. Metro. March 18, 2023. I've been applying for jobs for 3 years. I'm only 60 but know my age is to blame (msn.com)

Older Workers Deserve Rest—but the Country Isn’t Letting Them Have It. Rebecca Gordon. The Nation. September 11, 2024. Older Workers Deserve Rest—but the Country Isn’t Letting Them Have It (msn.com)

Opinion:  A big problem for young workers: 70- and 80-year-olds who won’t retire. Aden Barton. Washinton Post. August 26, 2024. Opinion | Young workers face a new challenge: Older workers aren’t retiring - The Washington Post

45% of Americans Who Retire at This Age Will Likely Run Out of Money. Chris Kissell. Money Talks News. September 5, 2024. 45% of Americans Who Retire at This Age Will Likely Run Out of Money (msn.com)

Why Older Workers Are Now the Better Choice. Howard Tullman. January 23, 2024. Inc. Why Older Workers Are Now the Better Choice (msn.com)

'I don't know how I'm going to work until I'm 67'. Chloe Harcombe. BBC News. June 26, 2024. 'I don't know how I'm going to work until I'm 67' (msn.com)

Are employers willing to hire older workers? Alicia H. Munnell. Market Watch. April 8, 2024. Are employers willing to hire older workers? (msn.com)

Can Employer Demand Support Older Workers Today…And Tomorrow? Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. Geoffrey T. Sanzenbacher. March 12, 2024. Can Employer Demand Support Older Workers Today…And Tomorrow? – Center for Retirement Research (bc.edu)

Larry Fink's Proposal For Saving Social Security Is To Attract More Older Americans To Work Until Full Retirement Age — But Should They? Kaili Killpack. Benzinga. June 27, 2024. Larry Fink's Proposal For Saving Social Security Is To Attract More Older Americans To Work Until Full Retirement Age — But Should They? (msn.com)

More older Americans are working past retirement than ever, but why? Zeleb.es. The Daily Digest. March 9, 2024.  More older Americans are working past retirement than ever, but why? (msn.com)

How to Get a Job When You're Actually Over 50. Nicole Bruce. Cheapism. April 22, 2024. How to Get a Job When You're Actually Over 50 (msn.com)

Age in America: Examining Age in the American Workplace. Scripps News. June 2024. Age in America: Are mandatory retirement ages legal? (msn.com)

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has an important message for the next wave of US retirees — here's how he wants to solve the country's retirement crisis. Moneywise. July 2, 2024. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has an important message for the next wave of US retirees — here's how he wants to solve the country's retirement crisis (msn.com)

14 Reasons Baby Boomers Are Struggling to Find Employment. Stephanie Allen. June 28, 2024. 14 Reasons Baby Boomers Are Struggling to Find Employment (msn.com)