Diane Stegmeier, Project WHEN’s Founder, was recently interviewed by Diversity Inc. – a subscription website that offers insights, best practices, and case studies on diversity and inclusion management. The interview discusses the rise of age discrimination during the pandemic and its adverse effects on different generations.

In the interview, Project WHEN shared that because of age discrimination in the workplace, problems arise. One problem Diane emphasized is the effect of ageism on the mental health of the older generations. She shares that the prevalence of ageism on social media networking sites like Facebook worsened the situation. For instance, there are commentaries like “Older generations are told to stay home and die because they’re worthless.” When read by the older generations, these commentaries made them feel hopeless and depressed. 

She added that some older workers are even afraid to take much-needed sick days for fear of how they will be perceived. They think using sick days “would reinforce (the idea) that they don’t have what it takes to be successful in the company, that they’re not as healthy and virile as the younger workers.” 

Project WHEN also emphasized that age discrimination is not only limited to the older population. According to Diane, “It’s so easy to hear the word ageism and think of the older workforce, but it hits both ends of the age spectrum. Younger workers often feel that they’re much more likely to be discriminated against than older workers.”

This reverse age discrimination stifles innovation and creativity in the workplace. She added that a diverse mix of workers of all ages is critical to the success of a business. “Companies who hire like minds and like ages tend to fall behind on innovative outputs as compared with their more diverse competitors.” Not only does a multigenerational workforce give companies a competitive advantage, but it also boosts productivity and helps generate a stronger pipeline of talent. Respect for the older and younger generations is needed to bring in fresh ideas to work.

Diane ended the interview with the statement that “It’s only when you can bring your true self to work that you can do your best. How can you do your best if you feel like you’re being harassed or  feel like you’re not getting the opportunities that you should be entitled to?” 

The EEOC, enacted the Age Discrimination Employment Act 50 years ago. Since then, it has contributed to workplace equality and fairness for older workers. However, age discrimination continues to exist because of outdated and unfounded assumptions about older workers. No one should be denied a job because of stereotypes, and it’s past time to abandon these old assumptions. Age has no bearing on ability, experience, or commitment. To fulfill the ADEA’s promise, it is time to recognize the value of age diversity in the workplace and the advantages of a multi-generational workforce.

If you are a victim of workplace harassment or a witness to it, Project WHEN has launched a comprehensive guide about your rights and what steps to consider when facing workplace discrimination.

What can companies do to prevent ageism? 

Companies have the responsibility to prevent age discrimination from transpiring in the workplace. Developing a respectful work environment is possible for any organization with the right mix of properly enforced policies and a holistic examination of business processes and culture.

The advocacy to prevent age discrimination is most effective when the initiative starts with senior leadership. However, change can also happen when an individual speaks up. If you are passionate about ensuring the safety of employees from the different manifestations of discrimination, consider getting your company involved with Project WHEN (Workplace Harassment Ends Now).

As a first step, we’d ask you to sign our Pledge of Commitment to demonstrate your dedication to creating a respectful, harassment-free workplace for your employees.

For a holistic and structured approach to living out your commitment, we would encourage you to enroll in the WHEN™ Organizational Certification program. In this program, we will guide you through a step-by-step process of preventing all types of workplace harassment. This certification will also serve as a powerful statement to both internal and external audiences about your commitment to making your workplace a safe space for everyone. The Employee Culture Pulse Survey, which is also offered as a standalone service, will be administered to employees in the first phase of this program. The actionable data gained from this survey will allow you to identify challenges in your fight against workplace harassment and strategize your path to improvement.

How does Project WHEN help?

Project WHEN is working hard to spread an important message and encourage organizations to create a more respectful work culture. While we believe that awareness is essential, having a means to directly help victims of harassment would have a huge impact. It is why in addition to expanding our resources for companies and employees, we are working on establishing a victim support hotline.

We aim to offer support to victims by connecting them with someone who can guide them through what they can do to address the problem while being a pillar of emotional support. Our hope is to widen our reach and let everyone know that workplace harassment needs to end now and that help is available for anyone battling it.

Are you interested in taking action and creating a harassment-free workspace?

Project WHEN provides organizations with an opportunity to enroll in the WHEN™ Organizational Certification program wherein employers can go through a structured process of learning how to prevent workplace harassment and create a more respectful work environment.

Service providers, internal practitioners, and other professionals can obtain a micro-credential by enrolling in the WHEN™ Professional Certification program. It is a five-course module that Project WHEN, together with Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI), will be launching soon. This course is perfect for individuals passionate about driving change in the workplace and who want to be Anti-Harassment Certified Practitioners.

Getting Involved with Project WHEN

Learn more about how you can support us or get involved with our organization here.

Join our mailing list to stay updated about the latest Project WHEN news. We also encourage anyone passionate about eliminating workplace harassment to sign our Pledge of Commitment to demonstrate your support in creating respectful, harassment-free workplaces for future generations.