Silicon Valley's Other Diversity Problem: Age Bias In Tech By Wong Summary

Thousands upon thousands of men have been scouted, drafted, played, and even managed in Major League Baseball. Yet, a name, synonymous with numerous records, is mostly associated with controversy. Enter Peter Edward “Pete” Rose Sr. Pete Rose grew up in a middle class family, struggled as a student, and then eventually excelled as a baseball player/manager. Even though Pete Rose lived for the sport and broke so many records during his professional career, it was his off-the-field behavior which led to his being banished from baseball and probably the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Ageism influences the presence of diversity because those who are affected by ageism within their career may lose their

On Tuesday, we discussed how ageism is impacting the workforces for many minorities who are trying to acquire a job. The conclusion based on the discussion was that workforces see minorities as novices and don’t trust them when it comes to making decisions. Two of the classmates even mentioned how they are assigned simple tasks at their workforce because their employer feels that they have less experience than other employees. My approach to this discussion is different since I started working in the sales retail field at the age of 16. Most employers I have worked with feel that older people are becoming slow and less attractive to consumers. Consumers rather see a young and intelligent employee assisting them over an older employee. This

“The number of employees over the age of 55 has increased by 30 percent; however, the number of 25- to 54-year-olds has only increased by 1 percent” (Claire, 2009). In 2008 the eldest of the 77 million baby-boomers turned 62. Estimates are that by the end of the decade about 40 percent of the work force will be eligible to retire. As people begin to reach the age of retirement there may be not be enough new employees to fill the gap (Clare, 2009). Companies need to find ways to attract Boomers and Millennials. Companies that want to attract Boomers and Millennials need to be creative in their culture, HR policies and work environments.

It all started with three finds on June 26th, 1897: a blood stained duck pond, a floating human torso, and freshly detached limbs all in New York. Newspapers were in a frenzy to grab the most readers from this sensational story. However, while the papers were printing, the police still had to piece together this murder, which was dubbed the ‘Murder of the Century’. Joseph Pulitzer, the owner of New York World magazine, and William Randolph Hearst, owner of The New York Journal, competed day and night to acquire the most readers from yellow journalism. The newspapers took the story and ran with it, over exaggerating every little detail about the murder, such as cannibalism. In this story, readers follow Detective Carey, writer Ned Brown, Captain O’Brian, Hearst, and Pulitzer while they compete to solve this mystery. After a loss of hope, the police catch a break and identify the body as William Guldensuppe.

Ageism is a huge problem against older people in the workplace. Most employers look for the most respectable, intelligent, hardworking workers who are capable of doing the job tasks. A lot of employers may prefer younger employees over older employees with the idea that younger employees are more able and efficient for the job which isn’t true in most cases. Many employers could also believe that young employees are a better choice because they might be able to work longer periods of time, more up to date with technology,

It is often referred to as the fight of the generation. In one corner of about 42.5 million persons reflecting approximately 12.3 percent of unemployment rate and $ 294 billion in the form of student loan debt there is 20 to 29 years-olds (Philips, 2012). On the other corner of about 36.9 million persons and an unemployment rate of approximately 6.6 percent and a median household worth of $ 162,000 includes the 55 to 64-year-olds. It is ideal to note that this is not the occurrence within the context of the job arena. Generations focus on eliminating each other in the job arena thus the constant fights from within for work. It is also essential to note that a 24-year old would compete effectively and efficiently for a job with a peer rather than with a veteran of about 60-years old. Despite this notion, there is critical need to focus on the examination of the two diverse corners with the aim of addressing the issue of who is in dire need of help within the context of the workplace.

Diversity and inclusion are more than buzzwords; together they are a concept of using and accepting employee differences in a safe environment. Fifty-two years after Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, this nation’s citizens are still fighting for equality. The limit to prejudicial boundaries does not stop with a person’s skin; it includes religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, and disability. It is the leadership of an organization’s obligation to smash the boundaries and create a diverse workplace, but what happens when the leadership is the antagonist? Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW) had to answer this question and take the steps to rebuild trust with the employees.

     By making a healthy business case for age diversity, many employers have driven significant change within their organization. The business case is based on a simple premise; people are living longer than ever before and are having fewer children. As a result the population is aging. From an employment perspective, the dramatic drop in numbers of young people

In conclusion, ageism in today’s times is a real form of discrimination and needs to be fixed. An individual’s skills and capabilities should be based on a personal level, not their age. The elderly and the young need just as much job opportunities as the middle-aged individuals living in the

No matter how talented or skilled an employee may be over another, workplace history has revealed more than just a few times that the younger applicant is often the one to win the job rather than the older generation. Age discrimination in the workplace has become a touchy subject for a while. It is a touchy topic because even though it might not be directly said it is apparent that the younger person is chosen more over the older worker in a lot of cases. Ageism is defined as, “Prejudice or discrimination on the basis of a person’s age also known as age discrimination” (google 1).

Appearance discrimination can be described as a lack of what society believes is beautiful. It is just another way to keep people in a particular place and compartmentalize or departmentalize individuals. People become objects that can be classified, either accepted or rejected based on prejudice views. Years ago society may have sugar coated the reality of social issues such as this. It is not fair, but it is a reality in today’s world that people have learned and are still learning to accept because of no political involvement for protection. In Deborah Rhode’s “The Beauty Bias: The Injustice of Appearance in Life and Law,” it states that “Most people believe that bias based on beauty is inconsequential, in evitable, or unprojectionable” (2). Many victims question what could happen to those who discriminate so harshly in the workplace. Those affected or that have serious protests involving the issue ask if laws will be created, what kind of punishment will be established, and how it affects the economy. Having such a standard for jobs can put one individual in the position to easily discriminate based on appearance depending on what type of duty is trying to be filled. Not everyone has the same opportunity to succeed in life because of another individual’s biased opinion. It certainly makes some people wonder what could be done to stop this, and how it can be carried out.

Age discrimination has long been present in society due to the rapid development happening around us. According to Farney, Aday & Breault (2006), this era of ageism is defined as "discrimination against any age group", but it often is pointed to age discrimination among adults which is slowly causing a negative effect for them in the workplace. In the workplace, adults with more experience and longer history behind them are targets of this ageism belief that companies and employers tend to have (Farney, Aday, & Breault, 2006). They are shunned and even fired in favor of accepting new and fresh faces for the company they have worked for. Unknown to most companies and employers, this notion of favoring the young and banishing the old can

Despite evidence to the contrary, stereotypes and biased beliefs continue to permeate the information technology sector. This is partially due to the nature of the industry itself. Information technology companies are geared towards developing innovative technical products and services for businesses and consumers. Technology rapidly evolves and adapts to address society’s needs. For instance, the telephone gave way to the facsimile machine. This soon became virtually obsolete with the introduction of newer technologies such as email and instant messaging (Charness, 2006). Companies within the IT sector seek to maintain a workforce that reflects the youth and vigor of their technology. Sylvia Francis, a researcher of age discrimination, notes, “These industries are looking to match staff with their perceived young image, and once you hit 40 you no longer fit” (Computer Weekly, 2006). Older workers also tend to shun job postings or interviews referring to “young, dynamic” organizations or projects, as these descriptors infer an environment that prefers youth rather than experience (Goodwin, 2006).

Since currently four generations work alongside each other, it is interesting to study how young professionals find their place in the diverse workforce. It is not always easy for young adults to find a relevant job because they lack experience and their skills are not as developed as in their older counterparts. However, young people are in need of careers, mentoring, and finding their way in life. Therefore, it is important to examine advantages and disadvantages of being young in the corporate industry. Young adults can occupy good positions in business and strive for further career development if they exert reasonable efforts in enhancing their strengths and seeking valuable corporate experience.