Title: WHO | Ageism in the workplace
Headings: Ageism in the workplace
Ageing and life-course
Ageism in the workplace
Anti-discrimination laws
Abolish mandatory retirement ages

Content: WHO | Ageism in the workplace
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Ageism in the workplace
Employers often have negative attitudes towards older workers. Age discrimination persists even though older workers are not necessarily  less healthy, less educated, less skilful or productive than their younger counterparts. Older women face particular challenges in employment because of their sex and age. Strategies to combat ageism can increase opportunities for intergenerational teams, and introducing campaigns to challenge the myths and inaccurate stereotypes that hinder older people’s ability to participate. A number of studies have focused on exposing young people to older adults in order to combat negative stereotypes. Exposure to positive examples of older workers can improve implicit beliefs about older adults. An intervention that provided information about the myths and realities of ageing, which was followed by a discussion about ageism aimed at changing attitudes, was found to successfully change younger people’s perceptions about ageing. Extended contact has been found to decrease negative attitudes and to moderate perceptions. Anti-discrimination laws
In addition numerous high- and middle-income countries have implemented anti-discrimination laws to combat ageism in the workplace. For example, for countries within the European Union, the Employment Equality Framework Directive 2000/78/EC aims to combat discrimination in the workplace that is based on disability, sexual orientation, religion and age, and all European Union member states are required to implement this in their national laws.