How to deal with ageism at work – live chat
Whether you have been mistaken for the “work experience kid” as a young-looking colleague, or dubbed “out of touch” as an older worker – ageism in the workplace is an age-old problem.
“It’s still seen as okay in our culture to make general assumptions about people based on how old they are,” says Rachael Saunders, head of Business in the Community’s Age at Work programme. And prejudice is surprisingly common: across Europe ageism is the most widely experienced form of work discrimination, according to a study from charity Age UK.
There are many benefits [pdf] to an intergenerational workplace, where people across different age groups are able to share knowledge and expertise. Yet two thirds of older people believe age discrimination still exists in the workplace.
Ageism at work is illegal under the Equality Act 2010. It can take many forms and does not have to be linked to a person’s actual age – if someone is perceived to be a certain age, and suffers discrimination because of that, then that qualifies as ageism.
So, whether you’re old or young, if you’ve experienced ageism at work and want advice on how to deal with it, join us on Wednesday 26 April from 1pm–2.30pm BST for a live chat as part of Guardian Careers’ ageism at work week. We’ll be discussing:
What constitutes ageism
How to deal with ageist comments at work
Your legal rights if you have been discriminated against at work because of your age
How to foster an intergenerational workforce
The Q&A takes place in the comments section below. Taking part is easier than ever: to comment, create a free Guardian account or log in using your Twitter or Facebook profile. Alternatively, tweet us @GuardianCareers or email your questions to sarah.shearman@theguardian.com who can post them for you.
The panel
Chris Brooks is senior policy manager at the charity Age UK. He leads Age UK’s campaigning work on all issues relating to employment and the labour market affecting people aged 50 and over, such as flexible working, age discrimination and back-to-work support for the unemployed. Prior to joining Age UK in 2010 he worked at the awarding body City and Guilds on skills policy.
Kiran Daurka is a partner at law firm Leigh Day where she specialises in employment law. She has expertise in advising workers subjected to all forms of discrimination, harassment and victimisation, as well as equal pay issues.
Claire Gilbert is an employment lawyer at law firm Technology Law Alliance where she advises on a wide range of HR issues, including discrimination in the workplace. She also works in a voluntary capacity for a number of legal advice charities on employment issues and improving access to justice, including as a trustee for Maternity Action.
Lynda Gratton is a professor of management practice at London Business School, where she directs a leading programme on human resources. Over the past 20 years Gratton has written extensively about the interface between people and organisations, winning several awards for her books on this topic.
Philip Landau is a partner and founder member of niche employment law firm Landau Law Solicitors. He writes for the Guardian about legal issues in the workplace, including redundancy, unfair dismissal, breach of contract and discrimination and regularly comments on TV and radio
Rachael Saunders is the director of Business in the Community’s Age at Work campaign, which is focussed on the business response to the ageing population. She has worked for Business in the Community since 2010. Prior to this, she worked for the Trades Union Congress, Carers UK and Unison.
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